


Still Soulmates

by Higgies230



Series: One Whole [3]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-02-28 21:01:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 25,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13279812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higgies230/pseuds/Higgies230
Summary: This is the third part to One Whole. Ygritte and Jon are married, King and Queen of the North, now they have to ally themselves with Daenerys Targaryen  following through season 7 with Ygritte live and well.





	1. Responsibilities

 Jon woke to see the soft rays of the first light of day shining through the shutters. Beside him Ygritte slept on, the pair of them wrapped snugly in many furs. He cast his sleepy gaze over his wife, the little light that was in the room catching on her red hair and making it glow. It was as everyone said that you looked younger in your sleep, Ygritte did too. Her face was relaxed and all of the tension and worry was gone making her look or the more beautiful than he already found her. She always said that he worried too much, she hid her worries behind a playful smirk but Jon could always see through it. 

  She breathed out, shifting slightly in her sleep. Jon smiled, sitting up slightly and feeling the cold air against his bare chest. He ran an absent minded hand over the scar above his heart then down to those on his abdomen. They were bittersweet. He died, was betrayed by his own men, that was the bitter. His Ollie had stabbed him in the heart. But the sweet was beside him, the sweet was his wife, his soulmate, his queen. 

  He yawned, stifling the sound with the back of his hand so as not to disturb the woman. The king slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, reaching out and pulling on the breeches that he had discarded on the floor the night before. Ghost raised his head from his paws, red eyes watching him from his position at the foot of the bed. Jon walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a tunic and boiled leather. It was all plain as was the way , the tunic grey like the Stark wolf and the leather black, similar to the black he used to wear in the Watch. 

  "Morning," he heard Ygritte mumble behind him, he turned, leaving the buckles of the leather undone in favour of going over to her.

  He crawled back up onto the bed, stroking the hair back off of his bare shoulder and pressing a kiss to her forehead. Just as the king was pulling away she whipped up and grabbed the tunic by the laces pulling him back down on top of her in a fierce kiss before flipping them over so that she was straddling his hips.

  "I can feel you staring to worry already," she said, running a hand through Jon's tangled black hair.

  "I'm not--"

  "You are."

  "I'm going to talk to the lords about how we can prepare the North today," Jon told her.

  "About the dragonglass and about training woman and girls," Ygritte nodded slightly.

  Jon nodded in return, his hands were on her hips but he gazed over her body and frowned. She was completely naked still from the night and it was winter in the North. He traced his fingers down her arm, both of them shivering as they skated around the soul mark on her right wrist.

  "Aren't you cold?" he asked running his hands up and down her sides gently.

  "I'm a free woman, I am the cold," she smirked, leaning down and pecking him on the lips before swinging off of him and the bed, pulling on her undergarments. 

 Jon stretched and rolled back off of the bed, buckling the leather protection and pulling on his boots. Long Claw lay on the table over his map of Westros but he didn't want to buckle it quiet yet, the map drawing his attention and his worry. He still maintained the front that he knew what he was doing. In reality a large and nasty part of him was certain that they wouldn't be able to defeat the Night King.

  "You're thinkin' again, worrying," Ygritte commented.

  The king turned slightly to look at his soulmate concentrating on the bond. "You're thinking too."

  "I bet it's about different stuff though," she replied, coming up and wrapping her arms around him from behind, resting her head next to his on his shoulder.

  "Okay, so what am I thinking about and what are you thinking about?" Jon challenged.

  "You're thinking about the white walkers and I'm thinking about responsibilities as king and queen," she whispered so close to his ear that her lips brushed against the shell.

  "Responsibilities?" Jon asked, turning in her arms so that they were face to face.

  "Yes, you're a king. Kings need heirs."

  Jon blanched. Children. She was talking about children. He had never wanted a family before her, never wanted the soulmate that was promised to him when he was sixteen. He had soon excepted the soulmate thing when he met Ygritte. He married her because he was king and he knew all too well that royalty signed themselves off for marriages anywhere that may help forge alliances. To this day he had never given any thought to children though.

  "Well you know that you're not sworn to overthink everything right," Ygritte quipped with a raised eyebrow.

  "You're talking about children?" Jon replied stupidly.

  "Yes."

  "But you don't want children."

  "I didn't want children when we were constantly on the move, having to defend ourselves. You can imagine how that may have caused problems. Now we live in a castle."

  "I... I think that maybe we should revisit this once we've dealt with the Night King," Jon suggested awkwardly then had a second thought, "You're not pregnant are you?"

  "No, not at the moment. You know that it will happen though because I'm not stopping the sex."

  "Right... now I think that we should get ready to talk to the lords," Jon said awkwardly.

***

    Jon sat before the lords and told them his plans. He could feel Sansa's gaze on him as he spoke about the need to search for dragon glass and particularly when he started to speak about training the women of the North. It was Ygritte's idea but Jon wasn't going to disagree; if anything, his time with the free folk had taught him to respect female warriors as equal to men. All he had to do was look at his wife to see the prowess of the woman. It was a waste having half of the population of the North left vulnerable against the army of the dead.

Of course many of the lords protested against his idea. Then Lyanna Mormont stood up. Jon marvelled at the girls fire, she was just a child but she commanded respect from all of those on Bear Island as well as anyone else she came into contact with. He support as a girl soon made the other lords back down. 

  In all everything went smoothly including moving Tormund and the free folk off to East Watch by the Sea. Then it came to the traitors- the Karstarks and Umbers.

  Lord Glover was all for tearing the castles down but then Sansa spoke up for the first time. She pointed out that there was no point in destroying the castles, that they should be given as rewards to those that fought alongside Jon in the Battle of the Bastards. Jon knew that he couldn't do that; the new leaders of the two houses were only children, they had no say in their father's choices. In that moment though, Jon's sister was gaining support from all around the hall. He could feel Ygritte tensing up beside him but he felt calm, in control. He'd sort this and then talk to Sansa later. He stood, hands braced on the table. 

  "When I was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch I executed men who betrayed me, I executed men who refused to follow orders. My father always said that the man that passes the sentence should swing the sword and I have tried to live by those words. I will not punish a son for his father's sins and I will not take a family home from a family that it has belonged to for centuries. That is my decision and my decision is final," Jon said. He said it firmly and he said it loudly so that the whole hall would hear his words.

  Beside him Sansa huffed but she didn't say anything more as he continued.

  "Ned Umber, Alice Karstark," Jon called waiting as the two children parted from the crowds and made their way forward.

  "For centuries our families have fought side by side on the battlefield," Jon addressed them," I ask you to once again pledge your loyalty to house Stark, to serve as our banner men and come to our aid whenever called upon."

  The two draw their swords then and knelt before the king.

  "Stand," the bastard told the children before addressing the hall on a whole," Yesterdays wars don't matter anymore. The North needs to band together, all the living North. Will you stand beside him Ned and Alice now and always?"

  "Now and always," they pledged and the hall erupted into cheers, all the lords and maesters getting to their feet.

 Jon nodded and smiled to the two children. He knew that Sansa wasn't happy but he could feel Ygritte's smugness and pride that she was trying to stifle. He looked down at his wife, at his soulmate, their eyes met and he saw the small smile on her face.

***

 Jon strode away across the walkway to where Ygritte was standing. He couldn't make sense of his sister. She definitely wasn't the girl he had known before but after everything she couldn't have been the same. She sounded like Cersei though, uncannily like Cersei at times. 

  Then there was the letter. He rolled it around in his fingers absently as he made his way to his wife. She looked up at him, away from whatever she had been watching. Jon glanced down to see Brienne of Tarth sparing with that Payne boy while Tormund watched on. He really was going to miss his friend when he went to the Wall.

  The king settled beside his soulmate as he reached her, pressed into her side, loving the contact. He leaned on the railing and spoke.

  "I have a letter from Cersei Lannister," he stated, looking at the letter rather than the woman beside him.

  "That's that southern queen isn't it?" Ygritte asked.

  Jon looked up at her nodding. Watching her watching him, taking in how beautiful she was, distracting himself from the knot of worry in his chest.

  "So that's all the sudden extra stress I'm feeling," the wildling commented.

  "I guess so. She wants me to go to King's Landing and bend the knee."

  "What's she going to do?" Ygritte snorted, "She's a southern queen with a southern army. This is the North, they'd have no chance normally and now it's winter. We don't need to worry about anything but the Night King." 

  "I really hope that you're right," Jon returned.

  He looked up then to see Littlefinger and Sansa stood together talking. He didn't like that. He didn't trust the man, he was too tightly wound into the politics of King's Landing to be anything good. His alliance with his sister had only brought her more pain at the hands of Ramsey Bolton so far.

 


	2. Just the Two of Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little extra Ygritte and Jon bonding time.

 

  Jon led Ygritte by the hand through the godswood. She kept pestering him to take a break, to lose some of the stress so here they were. He hadn't told her what they were doing or where they were going but he was taking her somewhere special, somewhere that she should know as part of her home. As the trees thinned around the springs he could feel the slight rise in temperature- only slight enough that you would have to know of it to sense it.

  He started to strip down then, he was bare to his waist when Ygritte grabbed his muscled bicep and pulled him around. She raised an eyebrow and ran a hand down his chest, over the scars and over his abdomen. It was strange really, he was so self conscious of the scars that he wouldn't let anyone see him shirtless. Whereas before he would go bare chested whenever he was too hot or when he was getting a shave. He had no problem with it. Now Ygritte was the only person in the world that he could even contemplate letting see him this way.

"You want to have sex here in the woods?" she asked with a little smirk breaking him out of his thoughts.

"I wouldn't mind it but that's not the only reason I brought you here," he said, smoothing the back of his hand down her cheek.

He couldn't understand how her skin was so smooth and perfect after the life she had lead beyond the Wall. His biased heart could only explain it away with the reasoning that it was because she was just so perfect through and through.

"What did you want to show me then Jon Snow?" she asked.

"Well, you'll need to take off your clothes," Jon replied, pressing a chaste kiss against her lips before pulling back and continuing to strip.

She took a moment to look his naked body up and down before stripping off her own clothes. She no longer wore the furs of her people but clothes that were similar to Jon's but with a more feminine cut. She hadn't worn a dress since their wedding but Jon didn't begrudge it, she was a practical, hands on warrior, dresses were not practical in her way of life. Her heavy cloak fell to the floor followed by the woollen jerkin then the tunic, more and more pale skin on show until all of their clothes were on the ground at their feet. Jon shivered and he saw the goosebumps on her arms too, the cold air of the North merciless against their bare flesh. He saw her soul mark standing out stark against her wrist, smiling as he ran his fingers over his own 

"Like what you see?" Ygritte taunted, raising her arms above her head and running her hands through her fiery hair. Jon watched the locks fall back down against the pale skin but turned away before lust could take over completely.

He walked over to the nearest spring and dropped down into the water with a splash, moaning as the warmth washed over him, easing the cold from his muscles. Looking back over his shoulder, Jon saw Ygritte slowly walk over before she slide herself into the water. He watched her sigh and roll her shoulders at the warmth, her blue eyes closing from the briefest moment.

  "This is like in the cave," she said.

  "Yes," was his reply.

  He had thought of this, the connection to their first time in that cave. It held a place in both their hearts, it was where Ygritte had wished they'd stayed when she was dying. It was where Jon hoped to go when he realised with absolute certainty that he was going to die just before Ollie sunk the dagger into his heart.  

  This place was also special from his childhood though. It's where he would come with Robb, sometimes Theon would come, sometimes Sansa would come when they were very little and the concept of boy and girl meant nothing. It was best when it was just Robb and him came though, when they would mess about in the warm water, laugh and confide in each other. A place where they could come and be best friends and brothers without Jon being the bastard, without Lady Stark's disapproving glare over him associating with her children.

  She made her way over to him then, the water washing gently around her, little ripples dancing off across the surface. The steam curled around her naked body, caressing the skin in a way that Jon so wanted to do so he pushed away and met her in the centre of the pool. The king pressed a kiss to her neck, then her jaw, then her neck. Her hands wove their way into his dark hair while his hands ghosted down her skin, continuing under the water down her thighs.  

  "Did you come here as a child?" Ygritte asked, pulling away slightly and cupping his jaw in her small hand.

  "Yes, it was my very favourite place, especially on colder days. I came with my brother Robb," Jon replied, smiling somewhat shyly.

  "He was the one your age? The one that was the King in the North before you?" 

  "Yes."

  Jon was suddenly overcome with sadness, being in this place with the person he loved most in the world but knowing that he would never be here again with his brother, that he would never see his brother again. Because he was murdered by Lannisters and Freys. He knew that the sadness and the anger must be seeping through their bind because Ygritte pulled him back in by his shoulders and kissed him deeply once more.

  "We had very different childhoods you and I. You were sat in your big castle with your family learning your letters and how to swing a sword. I was in the real North, Tormund looked after me when my mother died. I learnt to use a bow so that I could eat. To think that you Lord Snow, King Crow is my soulmate. Little old me," she laughed, cupping his face once more.

  "Yet I'm so glad you are. You're not like any girl or woman that I've met this side of the Wall. Except for Arya maybe. I think you'd like her, she's full of fire and fight just like you. She always wanted to be a knight," Jon smiled down at the water at the memories of his sister. He was always the one that he got on with the most, even better than with Robb sometimes- especially if Theon was around, " I just hope she's okay, that she's alive."

  "You were closer to your family than I was and you've lost them all but Sansa."

  "I have, but I've got you now, I'm okay with you. You're my world," he told her, brimming with so much love.

  Ygritte just smiled and quickly kissed him before pulling away fully and splashing up water into his face. Jon spluttered and laughed, shacking his now wet face, feeling the water cool against his skin.

  "That's cold you menace!" he grinned, splashing her back.

  For a while that's what they did, splashed around trying to dodge the other's assaults. In the end Jon dived forward and tackled his wife, grabbing her and lifting her into the cold air. Still laughing, Ygritte weakly punched his arms and he let her drop back into the water.

  "I got a letter from Daenerys Targaryen yesterday," Jon told Ygritte, sobering up slightly.

  "The dragon queen?"

  "Yes."

  "See I'm getting there with all of your southern politics," Ygritte smiled, tracing her fingers over his mark, making them both shiver.

  "She wants me to go to Dragonstone to meet her Ygritte. She'll probably want me to bend the knee just like Cercei does," Jon told her.

  "Well then don't go, you're not going to King's Landing are you?" 

  "The only thing is... well I got a letter from Sam too."

  "And how does that change your mind?"

  "He said that Dragonstone is basically built on dragonglass. If I go there and persuade her that the Night King is a real threat, well then we could mine the dragonglass and make enough weapons for the whole of the North. It would bring us just that bit closer to being able to face them," Jon explained.

  "Then you know what you have to do. But I'm coming with you," Ygritte said seriously.

  Jon just nodded, pulling back and getting out of the pool. The air froze the water on his skin and he grunted at the discomfort as he grabbed his clothes, hastily putting them back on. 

  Once Ygritte was dressed also, the two of them made their way back through the trees to Winterfell. It was strange really, this was Jon's home but he couldn't help but feel the weight drop back down on him as he walked through the gates.


	3. Leaving Home

 Once more Jon stood in the hall among the lords, addressing them about about his plans and listening to their displeasure. It didn't really matter to him though because he had Ygritte's support and that was all that seemed to matter to him these days. Still, and he had to keep telling himself this, he was the King in the North and these were his people. He would not rule the way the kings- and now queen- ruled in King's Landing, he would rule so that the people knew what was going on, they could help input their voices into the way that this kingdom would be ruled. Jon just had to make them see that his decision was important and was the right one.

"Have you forgotten what happened to our grandfather," Sansa spoke up above the noise, " the Mad King invited him to King's Landing and roasted him alive."

"I know," Jon said quietly, looking over at his sister. The young woman that he couldn't help but admire and be proud of.

"She is here to reclaim the Iron Throne and the Seven Kingdoms. The North is one of those seven kingdoms. This isn't and invite, it's a trap," Sansa said forcibly.

"It could be but I don't believe Tyrion would do that. You know him, he's a good man," was Jon's reply. He knew that if the letter had been from Daenerys herself then he would have been sceptical, he didn't know he after all.

"Your Grace, with all due respect I have to agree with Lady Sansa. I remember the Mad King, a Targaryen is not to be trusted. Nor is a Lannister," Yohn Royce spoke up.

"We called your brother King and then he rode south and lost his kingdom," Lord Glover pointed out.

"Winter is here your Grace, we need the King in the North in the North," Lady Mormont practically begged.

Jon looked at the girl. She had always been his biggest supporter, had always been a formidable voice among the other lords and ladies of the North. She was the one that had first called him king. So it was her voice that made him doubt his choice, if only for a second, but he gathered his resolve again. The North needed this, Westeros needed this.

  "You all crowned me your king. I never wanted it, I never asked for it, but I excepted it because the North is my home. It's part of me and I will never stop fighting for it no matter the odds," Jon addressed the hall, "The odds are against us. None of you have seen the dead. None of you. We can never hope to defeat them alone, we need allies. Powerful allies. I know it's a risk but I have to take it."

  "Then send an emissary, don't go yourself," Sansa said, standing from where she had been sat.

  "Daenerys is a queen, only a king can convince her to help us. It has to be me."

  "I take it you're bringing Ygritte with you, as if she would agree to this otherwise," Sansa almost sneered.

  "Course I'm going with him. He's my husband and my soulmate," Ygritte said, uncharacteristically calm and polite.

  "Well then you are both abandoning your people. You're abandoning your home," Sansa continued.

  "Aye this is my home now and these are my people now," Ygritte started, standing also- Jon couldn't feel any anger coming from her, she knew she was going to win the argument,"I'm going with Jon because I've seen the dead too. I was part of the army that was trying to get across the Wall to live, to survive that army. We've fought for our lives against them before and I am willing to do whatever it takes to be able to continue to keep this life. Living is preferable to death, trust me."

  "It's okay Sansa," Jon started, placating his wife with a little look, "I am leaving the North in good hands."

  "Who's?"

  "Yours."

  She shut up then, sitting back with a look crossed between pride and shock on her face. 

  "You are my sister. You are the only Stark left in Winterfell. Until I return the North is yours," Jon told her.

  Quiet reigned throughout the hall, Sansa just nodded. The king looked to his wife, Ygritte offering his the smallest of smiles. They were ready to leave now.

***

  It was one thing to tell the lords that everything would be fine and another to lie to himself. Jon could not hide from himself the fact that he was nervous. He had not seen Tyrion in years although he knew from everything he had heard and everything he had experienced that the dwarf was a good man. That didn't mean that the dragon queen hadn't changed him. Had he even written the letter voluntarily. There was so many conflicting stories about Daenerys Targaryen and her Dothraki, he had no idea what to believe. 

  That was why he was stood in the crypt before his father's bones at that moment. Just in case he could never return to Winterfell for whatever reason, maybe for luck and wisdom. His father had always been very wise. It was cold and dark, the only light coming from flickering candles and torches. The silence was absolute and heavy. It meant that he could almost feel the presence of the dead around him.

  Ygritte wasn't there, she was in the courtyard with Davos and the horses preparing to go. She didn't like the crypts. She wasn't afraid but didn't like it. In her mind it was wrong to bury the dead underground the way the Starks were buried.

  Jon sighed inwardly as he heard the soft footsteps echoing of the stone walls, breaking the silence and the calm. He knew who it was and hated the idea of that man being in his family's tomb.

  "I delivered his bones myself," Littlefinger spoke, "Presented them to Lady Catelyn as a gesture of good will from Tyrion Lannister. Seems like a lifetime ago. Do give Lord Tyrion my best when you see him."

  Jon didn't answer, the man was making small talk. He was probably gearing up to something he wanted or for something to knock Jon's guard down or manipulate him. When Petyr Baelish took another step forward the king had to force himself not to move away.

  "I was sorry when he died. Your father and I had our differences, but he loved Cat very much. So did I. She wasn't fond of you was she? Well it appears she vastly underestimated you. Your father and brothers are gone, yet here you stand, King in the North. Last best hope against the coming storm." 

  Jon turned to the other man then, glaring at him as the anger started to bubble up.  

  "You don't belong down here," the king said to the other icily. 

  He became aware at that moment of Ygritte slinking down the steps. She must have felt his anger, there was no other reason that she would be here. Baelish hadn't noticed her but Jon flicked his gaze to his wife briefly before looking back.

  "Forgive me. We haven't ever talked properly," Littlefinger continued completely unaware," I wanted to remedy that."

  "I have nothing to say to you," Jon said, starting to walk away towards his soulmate, still wrapped in the shadows of the crypt.

  "Not even thank you?"

  Jon stopped in his tracks, he didn't turn around, keeping his eyes on the shadows that he knew was Ygritte.

  "If it wasn't for me you would have been slaughtered on that battlefield. You have many enemies my king, but I swear to you I'm not one of them," Baelish said, doing nothing to ease Jon's hatred," I love Sansa as I loved her mother."

  Jon did turn then. He strode forward and grunted as he slammed the greasy little weasel back into the cold stone walk of the crypt. The rage and disgust boiled up in him at the thought of the man under his hand touching his little sister. He held Littlefinger by the throat, watching as the man chocked slightly, listening to him weazing. 

  Ygritte stepped forward until she was standing beside him and he could feel her disgust mingling with his own. She didn't know Littlefinger and she didn't particularly like Sansa so that feeling just reinforced Jon's.

  "Touch my sister and I'll kill you," he growled before letting the man go and stepping back.

  He strode off, Ygritte following a step later. She brushed up against him, weaving her fingers into his so that they held hands as the made their way back up to the courtyard. As they stepped back up into the day Ghost came up to them with long loping steps. Jon smoothed down the fur on the direwolf's neck.

  "Stay Ghost," he said. The beast silently cocked his snow white head, red eyes boring into him before he turned around and wondered slowly off.

  Ygritte and Jon walked over to where Davos and the horses were then. They mounted up and Jon looked back to see Sansa standing there. He offered his sister a smile and a small wave as they started off, getting a small smile in return. He just hoped that she would be okay in Winterfell with Littlefinger prowling around. 


	4. Dragonstone

  They stepped out of the boat and onto the damp sand. Jon had never been further south than the North other than when he was born but he couldn't remember that. He had expected it to be sunnier though. That was always what he'd heard. It wasn't sunny here though. It was glum and cold, the sand was grey and salt spray licked at his face as the sea crashed into the shore.

  He trudged forward with Ygritte and Davos at his side, a few of his men a few steps behind. The company before them comprised of Tyrion, a tense looking young woman who was obviously from Essos and there was a sizeable bunch of Dothraki standing there silently and menacingly.

  "The bastard of Winterfell," Tyrion greeted him and Jon couldn't help but smile remembering their last meeting and Tyrion's words about excepting himself.

  "The dwarf of Casterly Rock," Jon returned.

  The King in the North stepped forward and gripped the imps hand in a friendly shake.

  "I believe we last saw each other atop the Wall," Tyrion made small talk.

  "You were pissing off the edge if I remember right," Jon smiled, taking in the scar that stretched down Tyrion's face. That hadn't been there last they had spoke, neither was the facial hair. The Lannister looked a lot older, mind you he probably did too. His eye was also caught by the silver Hand badge on his lapel. The world had certainly elevated both of their positions, "Picked up some scars along the road."

  "It's been a long road but we're both still here," Tyrion returned before turning to Ygritte.

  "You must be the soulmate and wife of Jon Snow here then," the dwarf addressed her.

  "Aye. That I am," Ygritte nodded. 

  "You know it's strange because when I knew your husband he was an Unmarked, much like myself. Now here you stand my dear. Either you truly are the King in the North's soulmate or that is just his excuse to get away with something that would otherwise be a scandal.  I would like to hear about that on day,"Tyrion addressed Jon's wife before turning to Davos and introducing himself with an outstretched hand, "Tyrion Lannister."

  Davos took a brisk step forward and excepted the proffered hand, shaking it firmly, "Davos Seaworth."

  "Ah, the Onion Knight. We fought on opposite sides at the battle of Blackwater," Tyrion acknowledged.

  "Unluckily for me," Davos offered up a small chuckle.

  He vaguely caught the exchange, focusing rather on the curiosity and slight displeasure that was emanating from his wife. Of course he had never told her that he had hidden his soul status from the world. He'd have to answer those questions later, he had to concentrate for the now though.  

  "Missandei is the queen's most trusted adviser," Tyrion moved on, gesturing at the frizzy haired woman behind him.

  "Welcome to Dragonstone," Missandei greeted smartly, "our queen knows it's a long journey, she appreciates the effort you have made on her behalf. If you wouldn't mind handing over your weapons."

  Jon looked back at his men, then to Davos and finally to Ygritte. She felt uncomfortable, he could feel that through their connection, but she looked completely calm. As usual. She shrugged at him and so he turned back to Daenerys' adviser. 

"Of course," he smiled rather falsely. Of course there was the obvious reasons for wanting them to give up their weapons but again the Targaryen had a whole army around her, what were a few swords meant to do?

  He watched as the Dothraki stepped forward and took their weapons, Jon unbuckling Longclaw and handing that over as Ygritte gave the silent foreigners her dagger, bow and quivers. The King in the North turned slightly to watch the progress, watching as the burly men carried away their boat.

  "Please, this way," Missandei gestured to the steps behind her.

  The Northern group hesitated before Davos stepped forward and both companies started off. Ygritte fell into stride beside him, her hand brushing against his as Davos stepped forward to talk to the queen's adviser.  It wasn't long though before Jon's friend and adviser fell back to mutter, "this place has changed," before falling back a respectful step.

  They started walking up the steps. The sun shone stronger here but the winding path they took was long and the heat wasn't necessarily a welcome at that point.

  "And Sansa? I heard she's alive and well," Tyrion started, walking a step in front of the pair of soulmates.

  "She is," Jon replied. He knew that Tyrion must care for his sister- not in the way of a wife perhaps but he cared. It was  just who he was.

  "Does she miss me terribly?" the imp asked. Jon knew that he was joking but he said nothing in reply all the same, "a sham marriage. And unconsummated." 

  "I didn't ask," Jon said quickly. He felt Ygritte smirk beside him because even after all these years talking about sex still made him squirm and she loved to use that against him.

  "Well it was. Wasn't. Anyway... she's much smarter than she lets on," Tyrion continued.

  "She's starting to let on," Jon snorted.

  "Good," the dwarf nodded to himself, "at some point I want to hear how a Night's Watch recruit became King in the North."

  "As long as you tell me how a Lannister became Hand to Daenerys Targaryen," Jon returned.

  "Well if that is how this is going to be then tell me, the two of you. Are you really soulmates?" the dwarf asked them both.

  The two soulmates looked at each other. Jon's left hand closed around his right wrist where the mark lay under his glove. "We're soulmates," Ygritte stated.

  It wasn't really a done thing to show people your soul mark so Jon grabbed Ygritte's wrist as she went to pull up her sleeve. Obviously there wasn't that taboo north of the Wall. Tyrion looked over his shoulder and saw the little interaction, with a small smile he nodded.

  "I believe you then. Although that still begs the question as to why you pretended to be Unmarked. If I had a soulmate I promise you I would not have spent half the amount of coin as I have on wine and whores," the Lannister remarked.

  Jon bit the inside of his cheek but didn't say anything. He had never told anyone about that, not even Ygritte knew that he had ever pretended to be Unmarked before Tyrion made that comment earlier.

  Jon took a breath, looking around then and feeling the full force of his decision to come here and he said as much, "my bannermen think I'm a fool for coming here."

  "Of course they do. If I was your Hand I would have advised against it. General rule of thumb; Stark men don't fare well when they travel south."

 "True... but I'm not a Stark," Jon retaliated. Saying that used to hurt but now he said it just as a fact.

  They were cut off at that point by the great thunder of wings and a dragon flew over their heads. Jon, Davos and Ygritte threw themselves out of the way in terror as the beast flew over. The King in the North stared at the retreating reptile in horror before he looked over at his wife to find her crouching against the wall boarding the path. She was scared, although not as much as he was, but mostly he was getting awe through their connection. Growing up beyond the Wall Jon knew that she had lived among creatures that the rest of Westeros thought extinct or just myths. Giants and wargs and direwolves- not to mention the white walkers. They were common place in her world, of course a dragon would get this response from her.

  He looked back around at everything else then, Tyrion, Missandei and the Dothraki were all still standing. Missandei was standing looking down a smug smile on her face that Jon purposefully ignored. Tyrion offered Jon his hand and the bastard took it, brushing off his legs as he stood. He didn't bother to try and help his wife, she would just bat his hand away anyhow, so he just watched as the dragon was joined by another and they swooped around the towers of the castle before them.

  "I would say you get used to them... but you never really do," Tyrion said, looking off in the same direction, "Come, their mother is waiting for you.


	5. Daenerys Targaryen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would appreciate it if people stopped asking about the Jon/Dany tag I have on this work. I have been over it a few times now and people have criticised it. I promise you I have a plot thought out that makes this tag appropriate it but this is still basically a Jon/Ygritte thing. Otherwise, thank you for all the comments, I have gotten a lot a brill ideas and praise from people over the course of writing this series.

  Missandei and Tyrion entered the hall ahead of the other three, the great doors heaved open on creaking hinges by Dothraki guards. The banners of Stannis Baratheon no longer hung from the walls, instead it was the dragon of the Targaryens. Ahead of them was Daenerys Targaryen, she sat on a jagged throne of dragonglass, flanked by yet more Dothraki men. Missandei strode up to take her place on the queen's right, a few steps below while Tyrion stood to her left at the base of the steps. Jon and Ygritte stopped a respectable distance away, Davos a step behind them. The doors closed with an echoing thud behind them.

  "You stand in the presence of Daenerys Stormborn of the house Targaryen, rightful heir to the Iron Throne, rightful Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains," Missandei listed with obvious pride.

  Jon looked between Ygritte and Davos, all of whom were unsure.

  "This is Jon Snow and Ygritte... They're King and Queen in the North," Davos offered with a shrug.

  "Thank you for travelling so far, my lord, my lady, "Daenerys said from her seat, "I hope the seas weren't too rough."

  "The winds were kind Your Grace," Jon returned, he had not missed the slight over his and Ygritte's titles but he wasn't going to bring it up, it wasn't important to him. Davos did though.

  "Apologies, I have a Flea Bottom accent I know, but Jon Snow is King in the North and Ygritte here is his Queen wife, Your Grace. They're are not a lord and lady," Davos corrected the dragon queen.

  "Forgive me--" Daenerys started.

  "Your Grace this is Ser Davos Seaworth," Tyrion supplied.

  "Forgive me Ser Davos. I never did receive a formal education but I could have sworn I read the last King in the North was Torrhen Stark who bent the knee to my ancestor, Aegon Targaryen, in exchange for his life and the lives of the Northmen. Torrhen Stark swore fealty to House Targaryen in perpetuity. Or do I have my facts wrong?" Daenerys challenged with a smug smile chasing the corners of her mouth.

  "I wasn't there, Your Grace," was Davos' reply.

  "No, of course not. But still, an oath is an oath. And perpetuity means... what does perpetuity mean Lord Tyrion?" Daenerys continued.

  "Forever," Tyrion answered.

  "Forever," The queen repeated," so I assume, my lord, that you are here to bend the knees." 

  "I am not," Jon replied with a false smile. He had thought that this might be a topic of discussion but he hadn't expected the queen or her adviser to be openly disdainful towards them. 

  "Oh. Well that is unfortunate. You've travelled all this way to break faith with House Targaryen."

  "Break faith? I thought it was clear that the whole of Westeros was fed up of you and your family when the Stag started his rebellion of the Lannister lordling put a sword through your daddy's back," Ygritte snapped. Jon held up a hand to silence her, she only did so because she knew that he knew a lot more about formalities than she did.

  "To follow my wife's words, it was House Targaryen that broke faith with House Stark," Jon continued with a sarcastic smile before Daenerys could speak, he would show the queen his mind but he would be considerably politer than Ygritte would, " your father burned my grandfather alive. He burned my uncle alive. He would have burned the Seven Kingdoms--"

  "My father... was an evil man. On behalf of House Targaryen I ask your forgiveness for the crimes he committed against your family and I ask you not to judge a daughter by the sins of her father. Our two houses were allies for centuries, and those were the best centuries the Seven Kingdoms have ever known. Centuries of peace and prosperity with a Targaryen on the Iron Throne and a Stark serving as Warden of the North. I am the last Targaryen, Jon Snow. Honour the pledge your ancestor made to mine. Bend the knee and I will name you Warden of the North. Together we will save this country from those who would destroy it," Daenerys said, seeming to swallow any indignation at the soulmates' words.

  Jon paused though, after she'd finished, he looked around at the Dothraki and at Davos and finally to Ygritte at his side, still looking the silver haired woman up and down.

  "You're right. You're not guilty of your father's crimes and I'm not beholden to my ancestor's vows," Jon retorted finally, wiping the smile straight off of Daenerys' face.

  "Then why are you here?" Daenerys said, obviously having lost her patience.

  "Because I need your help and you need mine."

  "Did you see three dragons flying overhead when you arrived?"

  "I did."

  "And did you see the Dothraki, all of whom have sworn to kill for me?"

  "They're hard to miss."

  "But still I need your help?" the woman said it with such derision that Ygritte snorted beside Jon.

  "Not to defeat Cersei," Davos spoke up, "you could storm King's Landing tomorrow and the city would fall. Hell we almost took it and we didn't even have dragons."

  "Almost," Tyrion interjected. 

  "But you haven't stormed King's Landing," Jon continued, "Why not? The only reason I can see is that you don't want to kill thousands of innocent people. It's the fastest way to win the war but you won't do it which means, at the very least, you're better than Cersei."

 Daenerys looked pleased by his last statement but she returned with, "Still, that doesn't explain why I need your help."

  "Because right now you and I and Cersei and everyone else, we're children playing at a game screaming that the rules aren't fair," Jon said to her.

  "You told me you liked this man," Daenerys addressed Tyrion.

  "I do," the imp confirmed.

  "In the time since he's met me he's refused to call me queen, he's refused to bow and now he's calling me a child," Daenerys ranted pointedly to Tyrion and on bowed his head in acceptance of the words.

  "I believe he's calling all of us children, figure of speech," Tyrion responded calmly.

  "Winter is Coming is what the Starks say. It's true and when winter is here you and everyone else ain't gonna be breathing for long," Ygritte directed at the other woman.

"Aye, Your Grace it's true," Jon continued," Everyone you know will die before before winter's over if we don't defeat the enemy to the north."

  "As far as I can tell you are the enemy to north," Daenerys said with nothing but frustration and contempt.

  "Then that shows just how narrow sighted you are then don't it?" Ygritte quipped. 

  "We are not your enemy," Jon gestured between himself and his soulmate, "the dead are the enemy.

  "The dead?" Daenerys snorted, looking again to Tyrion, "Is that another figure of speech?"

  "Well then I didn't get no formal education neither but at least I ain't dumb enough to have to ask that question," Ygritte practically spat, Jon could feel the frustration and dislike rolling off of her.

  Jon didn't say anything, he knew it was pointless to chastise her here, that it would only make the free woman more frustrated so he just continued his own way.

  "The Army of the Dead is on the march," Jon stated clearly.  

  "The Army of the Dead?" this time the disbelieving echo came from Tyrion. 

  "You don't know me well my lord but do you think that I am a lair or a madman?" Jon asked of the imp.

  "No, I don't think you're either of those things," was the answer.

   "The Army of the Dead is real. The white walkers are real. The Night King is real. I've seen them. We've seen them," Jon once more gestured to his wife, "If they get past the Wall and we're squabbling amoungst ourselves--"

  At that moment Jon took a step forward, carried by the momentum and power and feeling of what he was saying. He was stopped short though by the Dothraki guards either side of their queen who stepped forward menacingly. 

  "We're finished," he ended with a lot less gusto. 

  There was a long silence after that where Daenerys looked the trio over and Jon and Ygritte exchanged slightly nervous glances. Well, more nervous from Jon, more annoyed from Ygritte.

  "I was born at Dragonstone. Not that I can remember it. We fled before Robert's assassins could find us," Daenerys started eventually," Robert was your father's best friend, no? I wonder if your father knew his best friend sent assassins to murder a baby girl in her crib. Not that it matters now of course. I spent my life in  foreign lands. So many men have tried to kill me I don't remember all their names. I have been sold like a broodmare, I've been chained and betrayed, raped and defiled. Do you know what kept me standing all those years in exile? Faith. Not in any gods, not in myths and legends. In myself. In Daenerys Targaryen. The world hadn't seen a dragon in centuries until my children were born. The Dothraki hadn't crossed the sea, any sea. They did for me. I was born to rule the Seven Kingdoms and I will."

  As she said it she stood and stepped away from her throne slowly walking forwards until she was only a few steps away from Jon. All the while, he could feel the annoyance building in his soulmate bond from Ygritte's side. She stood fuming silently- a miracle for her and a blessing in that moment for Jon.

  "You'll be ruling over a graveyard if you don't defeat the Night King," was Jon's only reply.

  "The war against my sister has already begun," Tyrion joined in, "you can't expect us to halt hostilities and join you in fighting whatever you saw beyond the Wall." The imp stepped forward then to join them and Davos also stepped forward so that he was stood alongside Jon and Ygritte.

  "You don't believe them. I understand that. It sounds like nonsense," Davos addressed the queen and her Hand, "But if destiny has brought Daenerys Targaryen back to our shores it has also made Jon Snow King in the North. You were the first to bring Dothraki to Westeros? He is the first to make allies of wildlings and Northmen. Just look at who his soulmate is- have you ever heard of a pairing like that? I sure haven't. That if nothing else shows that Jon was destined for this. He was names Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, he was named King in the North. Not because of his birthright. He has no birthright. He's a damn bastard. All those hard sons of bitches chose him as their leader because they believe in him. All those things you don't believe in, he faced those things. He fought those things for the good of his people. He risked his life for his people. He took a knife in the heart for his people. He gave his own--"

  Jon whipped his head around to look at his friend, silencing the man mid-sentence and leaving the queen and Tyrion looking between the two. Davos only let the silence last a short while though.

  "If we don't put aside our enmities and band together we will die. And the it doesn't matter who's skeleton sits on the Iron Throne," Davos finished.

  "If it doesn't matter then you might as well kneel. Swear your allegiance to Queen Daenerys, help her to defeat my sister and together our armies will protect the North," Tyrion proposed.

  "Have you not been listening?" Ygritte asked incredulous, "there is no time for silly wars over a silly chair made out of losers' swords. There's no time for any of this rubbish!"

  "It takes no time to bend the knee. Jon, pledge your sword to her cause," Tyrion insisted.

  "And why would I do that?" Jon asked, practically shouting, finally as angry as his wife, "I mean no offence Your Grace but we don't know you. As far as I can tell your claim to the throne rests entirely on your father' name, my own father fought to overthrow the Mad King. The lords of the North placed their trust in me to lead them and I will continue to do so as well as I can."

  "That's fair. It's  also fair to point out that I'm the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. By declaring yourself king of the northernmost kingdom you are in open rebellion," Daenerys snapped.

  "Rightful you say. Well that block of stone behind you ain't the Iron Throne so the only person we're in open rebellion against is the Cersei lady. Not you and your shiny hair, silent savages and winged lizards," Ygritte spat.

  At that moment Varys trotted in. Jon breathed out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, he was convinced that the queen would have set the Dothraki on them for Ygritte's last remark if the news that the Spider brought hadn't have caused the Targaryen to dismiss them. On their way out Jon turned back, he couldn't help himself, "are we your prisoners?"

  "Not yet," was the reply he got before Daenerys turned and walked away from them.


	6. Family

  She supposed their chambers were nice but they had the same dark and unfriendly feel of the rest of this castle. Pretty much the same as the "queen" who resided there. Jon was all wound up, even more than she was, she knew that he felt bare without his direwolf and without his sword.

  Ygritte was starting to regret this whole thing though. The Targaryen woman was beautiful but she seemed rotten and spoiled on the inside. She had an army of those foreign savages who reminded her too much of an organised army of free folk- something that was very dangerous. Then there were those dragons, they were not the ice dragons that were said to hide around the Shivering Sea, but they were dragons. It was amazing to see them flying, alive and free. It was also very bad news for them.

  She sat down on the bed then, watching her husband as he went over to the window. He had pretended to be an Unmarked for all of his life before her apparently. He'd never told her that and it was curious. As she watched his shoulders slump forward as he leaned on the window she thought that maybe she knew why he did it. Because he didn't feel like he was worth it. In recent years he had gotten better but Ygritte knew that before them he had had problems with what he thought he was worth. She would ask him though, to confirm it.

  She had her own secrets though. These ones were worse, they were current. The free woman ran a hand over her still smooth stomach. Ygritte would tell him obviously.

  Maids came in them with steaming hot water that they pored into the bath. Bucket after bucket until it was full and then they left. Jon turned away from the window and went over to the tub, took off his glove and ran his hand through the water.

  "Want to share?" Ygritte asked, sprawling across the sheets as she watched him.

  Brown eyes turned to her, a smile curling his lips, "sure," was his reply.

 He stripped off first with her watching. She took in all of him, every scar, every muscle, eyes focusing in particular on the blue flames on his wrist. There was the soft sloshed of water and a small moan of pleasure as her husband lowered himself into the water.

  Husband... it still felt weird to think it. It felt right but weird. She'd always looked forward to meeting her soulmate- not that she had expected a crow like Jon. She'd just never really connected that to marriage for some reason. 

Jon looked over at her then, one eyebrow raised as the steam rose up around him, his pale skin reddened by the heat. "You coming."

  "Absolutely," she replied, pushing herself off of the bed.

  She walked over closer to the tub to that he could get a good look, revelling in his gaze fixed on her skin as it was revealed. She slipped into the bath with him then, toes curling in pleasure at the heat. She sat opposite him, their legs tangled together. Ygritte was only settled for a second before Jon pulled her forward into a passionate kiss. His lips quickly moved along her jaw and down her neck, pulling moans from her and making her press against him, seeking as much skin on skin contact as possible. He reached her clavicle and then moved on, worshipping her skin until she pushed him away.

  "Ygritte?" he asked, she'd never done that before. Especially after a stressful day.

  "We really do have some things to talk about," he said, scooping up a handful of water and depositing it over his head, wetting his dark curls. He scrunched up his nose and closed his eyes as water dripped down his face. 

  "The Unmarked thing? About this?" Jon guessed, gesturing at the room around them.

   "Why did you pretend to be Unmarked?" Ygritte asked, confirming her husband's guess.

  "Because... because I was a bastard, no one would want a bastard for a soulmate. I don't- I didn't want the fuss then, anyway, my father was Marked, had a soulmate in Lady Catelyn but he still had me. To me that meant that the whole soulmate thing really didn't mean much I guess," Jon explained, looking down at where their bare flesh touched under the water.

  "Well it turned out well then," Ygritte smiled, completely unsurprised by the explanation.

  "Do you... do you want to talk about Daenerys?"

  "No, no I don't. I just have something that I have to tell you," Ygritte replied. She was nervous now, something that didn't happen to her, she just wasn't a nervous person. She blamed it on the baby, it was messing with her emotions obviously. 

  "What?" Jon asked, looking at her curiously.

  "Well it's your fault cause I told you that it would happen."

  "What, what would happen?" Jon asked looking more worried now.

  "I'm actually pregnant this time," she stated, finally getting it out and feeling better instantly.

  Jon sat there opposite her speechless, just looking down at her belly. With a hand that she could have sworn was almost shaking he reached out and touched the still flat stomach, his light touch tickling and causing her to flinch away slightly. He looked back up at her then.

  "How long?" was all he said.

  "About two moons," Ygritte said, patting her stomach gently.

  She looked in his eyes and saw that they were soft. He kissed her gently before pulling back and suggesting that they actually wash before the water went cold. She laughed at that suggestion and grabbed the rag beside the bath. When they had both cleaned each other they got out and dried off. 

  Then Jon just stood there. He looked her up and down his gaze resting on her stomach with an expression that she could only describe as wonder. She wanted to know what he was thinking, how he felt about the whole thing but she was stubborn and wasn't going to ask. If he wanted to tell her he would. Instead she stepped forward and ran her hand down over the scar on his chest then the muscles and scars of his abdomen.

  "We should dress at least partially so that we don't scare away the maids that bring our meal," Jon said to her, stroking a hand absently over her stomach.

  "Well don't you spoil all the fun. It's warm here and so quite nice to be naked and free," Ygritte laughed, giving a little twirl.

  Jon snorted and smiled, walking around her to grab his clothes. She watched him for a moment, she couldn't quite believe that his response had been so calm, especially after his reaction when she talked about the concept of children. Her husband seemed almost happy about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say thank you to DaisyofGalaxy who was the one of the ones who originally encouraged me to continue writing these stories after the first one and who shared my enthusiasm for a baby Snow, so thank you. Thank you everyone else for comments good and bad, both help me with the direction of my writing.


	7. Cave

  Ygritte didn't see Jon much the next day. He woke before her and left long enough before that his side of the bed was cold by the time that she woke. At first she worried if it was because of the baby but then she remembered his face when she had told him, the way his eyes had lit up and the smile that he seemed to be trying to suppress. Besides, he often did this because he was a king, a busy man.

  She took her time getting up, it was so warm here compared to the North. After arriving they had put on new, thinner clothes which had made Ygritte feel so light. Once she had finally dragged herself out of bed and donned the clothes, she picked up the hair brush and brushed her hair until it was silky smooth. It was never something that she would regularly do beyond the Wall. Sure she had a bone comb which she would use to use to battle the worst tangles but it was never necessary to take that much care. Now though she loved the feel of her hair after it was brushed.

  Still, she didn't take too long with it, she still wasn't a lady. Instead she left the chamber and retraced her steps through the halls from the day before until she was standing outside of the castle. The free woman made her way down the steps, taking her time and enjoying the sun on her face, the wind ruffling her hair. Still Ygritte couldn't believe that the sun could be so warm.

  Making her way down to the beach she enjoyed the solitude and the warmth. She had always been around a lot of people all of her life and she loved to just go off by herself. Now though she wasn't really by herself, she had the baby in her stomach. It seemed like forever ago that she had asked Jon about children and had told him that she wanted children. The truth of the matter though was that she wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to be a mother. 

  As she stepped down the last of the stone, Ygritte bent down and pulled off her boots, allowing the cold wet sand to get in between her toes. She made her way down the beach listening to the waves crashing against the shore and the craggy rocks and the seagulls calling out. 

  The seclusion was perfect at that moment and Ygritte spent a long while just walking along where the waves met land, watching and feeling the water wash over her bare feet. She still couldn't quite believe that she was going to be a mother, it was something that she promised herself she would never be. Then again she never thought that she would be a queen.

  ***

  After having spent the day wondering the beach and the island, Ygritte was relaxed to say the least. All of the built up tension from days at sea and meeting the dragon queen and revealing her pregnancy to Jon was pretty much gone by the time she returned to their chambers. 

  The door swung shut behind her and she saw her husband bent over a map that was spread over the desk. Ygritte shook her head and walked over to stand beside him, seeing that the map was one of the island.

"You know you could stop working for one day," she said to him.

  "Daenerys has given me permission to mine the dragonglass on the island," her husband returned, looking up at her.

  "That's... that's really good though. I didn't think we'd get anywhere with her but that's definitely something," Ygritte encouraged. She was surprised to say the least, the woman that she had met the day before didn't seem to want to negotiate or budge from her stance at all.

  "Tyrion spoke to her. He said that he believed me about the white walkers. Daenerys doesn't though," he explained more.

  "But she has dragons. I don't understand how she can't believe in things like that," Ygritte rolled her eyes.

  "Believe what you see I suppose. I just hope that we can make good weapons out of the dragonglass," Jon said, he just sounded disheartened. 

  Ygritte didn't say anything, she didn't have anything to say, she just looked at him as he looked over the map searching the lines there.

***

  The next day Ygritte woke still curled into her soulmate's side. His arm was draped over her and his breath ruffled her hair slightly as he slept. She sighed and let her head fall back against his bare, scarred chest content to bask in the warmth with him for the moment at least.

  It was only a few moments though because he stirred next to her just after she woke. The king groggily lifted his head to look down at her, smiling when he saw her smiling up at him. His hair fell in tangles to crown both their faces, cutting them off from the world, creating their own little space where only they existed. 

  "I love you," he breathed quietly.

  "That's good cause I love you too," she smiled back, running her hand over his mark and making them both shiver at the contact. 

  "I'm going to go down to the beach today with the men and start to scout out the caves and tunnels before we start mining there," he told her.

  "Err," she groaned, wrapping her hand around the back of his neck," can we have five minutes without business talk?"

  He rolled his eyes at her but nodded, flaking back down into the pillows and revealing the world once again, letting the sun shine down through the window onto her face. Ygritte simply closed her eyes and let the sun warm her skin. She felt her soulmate's hand smooth over her stomach and over their baby and she couldn't help but smile at his excitement over the child.

***

  He held the touch out in front of him with one hand, the other was clasped in hers. The tunnels and caverns stretched on and up and down. The ceilings were high, so high above them and in places the light from the flame didn't always reach it. The walls of the tunnels shone in the light, black as night because of the obsidian. 

  "You know I think that our cave back in the real North is a lot better," Ygritte said to him.

  "Aye, that one is more... personal than this. But then again, this one's more useful to us," Jon replied not looking back.

    She could feel the awe coming from him and she couldn't help but feel it too. The sheer size of the place was enough but she could see the beauty and the age of the place  as well. The only sound was their footsteps echoing on and on and the drip of water down the walls and falling from great stalagmites that descended from the ceiling like dragon teeth. 

  Jon's hand was warm in her own, a welcome relief against the cold of the underground tunnel. Ygritte didn't mind though, like Jon she just wanted to go deeper, to explore. That was how they ended up finding the carvings. She traced her fingers over the markings made by the children of the forest hundreds of years ago and she revealed in the finding. Men and the children had once sided with each other to fight the white walkers, this was proof that they had existed. Proof that they could show to the queen. Jon's smile when he had turned to her after their discovery had to be one of her favourite things to see.


	8. Bend the Knee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Anyway, I've kind of re-planned this story so now the Dany/Jon tag that I took down won't apply at all.

 Jon couldn't help but feel both excited and apprehensive at the thought of showing Daenerys the cave. He and Ygritte had stayed up late into the night in each other's arms talking about the drawings on the wall. Even after Ygritte had fallen asleep he stayed awake, the images from the walls playing over in his mind's eye. This was definitely going to persuade the Targaryen queen to help him and the North.

  That was why he was walking up the beach at that moment. He was alone, Ygritte was off exploring the island. Jon's wife seemed to have almost fallen in love with the sun and the sea and the way there was no snow and nothing but green. It was why he was probably as calm as he was, the slight nerves about showing Daenerys the walls was washed away by the relaxed feel that was coming off from his bond.

  As he reached the bottom of the steps to the castle far above he saw her. She was with Missandei and they were smiling. She looked pretty like that with the sun making her silver hair glow. Not beautiful like Ygritte but pretty enough to make him think that she would have probably had suitors clamouring for her hand even if she didn't have the Targaryen name.

  "Your Grace," he announced himself.

  They walked together then just the two of them below the cliffs with the sounds of the crashing waves and the crying gulls to follow them.

  "I wanted you to see it before we started hacking it to bits," Jon told her as they reached the cave entrance.

  The king grabbed a torch from the brazier and walked on off into the cavern where he lit a fire pit. The light flicked and shone on the obsidian walls showing the magnitude of the space. He looked at the queen as she gazed about him and couldn't help the slight frown that twisted his face; she was definitely not as impressed as Ygritte or he had been. Sure she looked around with interest but there was none of the awe or joy that had been on the face of his wife. In that moment the annoyance must have flickered across to Ygritte because he felt the slight brush of a questioning thought. Jon swore that their bond had only gotten stronger since she had gotten pregnant.

  "Well this is it. All we'll ever need," Jon said, trying to ignore his thoughts for the moment, this had to work. "There is something else I want to show you Your Grace."

  With that he moved off down a tunnel off of the cavern, leading Daenerys to the drawings. The walls closed in around him and the torch sputtered in his hands but all he could remember was the day before, walking down here with his soulmate. Unlike earlier, Jon felt the nerves at what he was about to do creeping over him. She wasn't as impressed as they had been so far but the ancient drawings... they had to persuade her.

  Finally they got into the smaller cave that held the carvings. He let the light of the torch revel the white marks that covered the walls and he looked back at her to see her studying them.

  "The children of the forest made these," Jon told her.

  "When?" was the queen's reply.

  "A very long time ago."

  "They were right here, standing where we're standing. Before there were Targaryens or Starks or Lannisters. Before there were soulmates even. Maybe before there were men at all," Daenerys reminisced.

  Watching her Jon felt a spark of hope. He also wondered, as he had yesterday when they had found the marks and last night when he had lain awake. It was amazing to him.

  "No," he told her, he knew at least that men were around when these were made. He took he by the elbow and led her over to where more carvings were.

  "They were here together, the children and the First Men," Jon pointed.

  "Doing what? Fighting each other?"

  Jon looked at her again, this was the moment. He led her to the white walker carvings then. "They fought together against their common enemy. Despite their differences, despite their suspicions. Together. We need to do the same if we are going to survive. Because the enemy is real. It's always been real."

  He looked deep into her eyes, studying her face in the flickering light. He felt her then, close, moments before she rounded the corner and let against the rocky wall. Ygritte lent there with arms crossed across her belly, watching them. There was only curiosity coming from her and so Jon looked away as soon as he saw her so as not to alert Daenerys of her presence. 

  "And you say you can't defeat them without my armies and my dragons?"

  "No I don't think I can," Jon admitted, looking down and away from her.

  Daenerys stepped forward then and Jon stood straight, "I will fight for you. I will fight for the North... When you bend the knee."

  Jon had been filled with so much hope a first and then she had gone full circle. He didn't feel angry though, only disappointment. It was Ygritte who was angry, a quick flash of anger racing from her to him.

  "My people... won't accept a southern ruler. Not after everything they've suffered," Jon replied and he felt the bitterness that came with those words. Because his kingdom had suffered so much and they had chosen to trust him still. He couldn't give over rule so easily, the Northerners were his responsibility to protect.

  Daenerys just took another step closer to him then," they will if their king does. They chose you to protect them. Isn't their survival more important than your pride?"

  Jon had nothing to say to that. Was it his pride that was keeping him from bending the knee. They turned then, conversation over and Jon saw Daenerys start slightly at the sight of Ygritte just standing there. She instead fell a step behind as Jon slipped his hand into Ygritte's and the three walked back out of the cave.  


	9. Your Pride

  The three were joined by Missandei and Davos just before they stepped into the light outside. By that point Ygritte was holding his hand in a death grip, her body rigid with tension and anger rolling off of to the extent that he would feel it even if they weren't soulmates. He glanced over at her briefly but she didn't look back so he just looked away again. He knew it was because of Daenerys and he couldn't help but wonder when Ygritte would snap because he knew her and knew that she would at some point. 

  As the four of them stepped out onto the beach they were greeted by Tyrion and Varys waiting there. Daenerys stepped forward and the rest of them followed, the two men looked sombre and Jon couldn't help but feel there was only bad news ahead.

  "What is it?" the dragon queen demanded.

  "We took Casterly Rock," Tyrion replied but it was said glumly and he and Varys looked at each other before saying more.

  Out of the corner of his eye Jon could see Ygritte looking at him, obviously as confused as he was about why that was a bad thing. Apparently Daenerys was in the same boat.

   "That's good to hear... isn't it?" Daenerys asked.

  "You'll want to discuss this amoungst yourselves. Perhaps--" Davos started in an awkward attempt to get away.

  "You will stay," the queen snapped, cutting him off, " all of my allies are gone. They've been taken from me while I've been sitting here on this island."

  "You still have the largest armies," Tyrion tried to console. 

  "Who won't be able to eat because Cersei has taken all the food from the Reach!" Daenerys practically yelled.

  "Call Greyworm and the Unsullied back. We still have enough ships to carry the Dothraki to the mainland. Commit to the blockade of King's Landing. We have a plan. It's still the right plan," Tyrion spoke calmly as ever.

  It was then that Daenerys stopped and turned. The whole party stopped and Jon shifted on the spot as the dragon queen yelled at her Hand.  She accused him of helping his family, secretly siding with him and Jon had to bite his lip to stop himself from saying anything. He trusted Tyrion, liked him. Jon had been witness to how the Lannisters had treated the dwarf and he knew that Tyrion had no love for them. He had killed his own father! At the same moment he felt Ygritte shift beside him, her hand falling out of his to ball up in a fist.

  Jon looked over at the dragons as they flew over the waves screeching. The king still had no idea of what to feel about the beasts, whether or not to be afraid or in awe. The things gave him an idea in that moment, one that would hopefully spare all innocent lives. 

  Coming out of his own thoughts once more he came back into the conversation as it turned to the dragons.

  "Enough with the clever plans. I have three large dragons. I'm going to fly them to the Red Keep," Daenerys declared.

  "We've discussed this," Tyrion almost muttered. Jon was with him, she could not just fly in and burn the place. One reason he begrudgingly respected the woman was her apparent care of the lives of the innocent. 

  "My enemies are in the Red Keep. What kind of a queen am I if I'm not willing to risk my life to fight them?" Daenerys challenged.

  "A smart one," Tyrion retaliated quickly.

  Daenerys scowled and looked back over the sea at her children before she spun around to face Jon.

  "What do you think we should do?" she asked him.

  "I would never presume to--" Jon started.

  "I'm at war. I'm losing," Daenerys interrupted, stalking towards him.

  "If you're losing maybe you should swallow your pride long enough to except the help of an entire kingdom. Maybe you should give a damn about the place you want to rule and actually try to save it!" Ygritte spat before Jon could say another word.

  There was a moment of shocked silence before Jon reached out and grabbed his wife's arm. He took a deep breath and looked down briefly. Again he looked over at the dragons and decided that he would just ignore what Ygritte had said for the moment.

  "I never thought that dragons would exist again. No one did," he started and watched as pretty much everyone relaxed a touch with the change of topic, "the people that follow you know that you did something impossible happen. Maybe that helps them believe that you can make other impossible things happen. Build a world that's different from the shit one that they've always known. But if you use them to melt castles and burn cities you're not different. You're just more of the same."

***

  As soon as Jon had told the queen his idea she, Missandei, Tyrion and Varys left. She seemed to like the idea, Tyrion had nodded along as well. All Jon knew in that moment was that he needed to speak to his soulmate. 

  "You want me to leave I take it," Davos said as the four others disappeared up the steps further down the beach.

  "Yes please if you would," Jon replied with a nod.

  Neither of them spoke until Davos was far enough out of earshot and the only sounds left were the waves and the screeching dragons. 

  "You didn't mean that did you?" Ygritte said eventually.

  "Mean what?"

  "The thing about people believing in her. All the people here that she saved... I mean they turned to her because she was a better option than being slaves!" she exclaimed.

  "She has been through a lot to get here Ygritte, she's strong and she's willing to fight," Jon said quietly, looking straight into her blue eyes.

  "Yeah and she's just another ruler who takes the throne because she has a fancy name and a fancy family. She doesn't really care about the people else she'd fight the white walkers regardless of whether or not you bend the knee! She goes on about your pride but really it's just her!" she ranted. "You didn't even defend yourself!"

    "I have to protect the North Ygritte and I don't know what to do. All I know is that if you speak to her like that then she's less likely to help us. We need her Ygritte," he said, almost begging as he stepped forward and cupped her face with his hand, "What happens to us and what happens to our child if she doesn't help us?"

  "I hate her Jon. I don't trust her and I don't believe that she is as selfless as she thinks she is. She doesn't care as much as she makes out. I know we need her and that's what scares me," she said quietly and Jon could see that she was actually close to crying. His soulmate, his wife, his free woman. That was when the full weight of desperation hit him because he was about to become a father in a world that could be coming to an end.

  The king pressed forward and kissed his wife. He wrapped her up tight against him as he felt her sob against his mouth, so he ran a hand through her hair and rubbed circles between her shoulders. When they broke off the kiss he lent back a fraction to look at her face, saw the single tear roll down her cheek.

  "I hate being scared, it's not me Jon Snow. I hate her because her selfishness makes me even more scared. She doesn't deserve to be a queen. She took a name and used it. You  earnt everything you got you hear me. You can't bend the knee to the likes of her." 


	10. Worry

  They stayed on the beach for a long while just in each other's arms. Eventually though, Ygritte pulled away. Looking at him one last time through those beautiful blue eyes, before she turned away. Jon knew that she would want some alone time now, that she would go wondering off exploring the island. The King in the North watched as his soulmate walked away, not looking back.

  Her fear knotted in his stomach. They were going to be parents together but she was right about the dangers of their world. Jon could die before his child was born, Ygritte could die before the child was born. They so desperately needed Daenerys to help them. Maybe Ygritte was right, maybe it was the Targaryen's pride that stood in the way. Then again, what if it was his and he was the one that was hindering their alliance? 

  He felt the ocean breeze ruffle through his hair and through the fur on his cloak, the smell of the sea filling his nostrils. The dragons were still flying over the waves, their cries drowning out the sound of the waves and the gulls. None of that mattered to him though as he continued to watch Ygritte walk away. Jon should trust what she said over what Daenerys said. Ygritte was his soulmate after all, his wife, his best friend and soon to be the mother of his child. He had found over the years that the free folk were often a lot wiser than most others in Westeros despite no formal education.

***

  The rest of his day was colourful. He wasn't there when Daenerys flew off on her biggest dragon but he had an interesting conversation with the queen's adviser about bastards and about the queen herself. They had spoken, Davos, himself and the lady of Naarth, in the sun on the steps down from the castle. The sea had been behind Missandei  and that was how they had seen the Greyjoy ship.

  Then he had seen Theon and he had been so angry, he had wanted to hurt the man badly but he had helped his sister and so ultimately he left the man untouched.

  Through it all though he had only been half able to concentrate. All day all he could think about was his wife and the baby she was carrying. He guessed it hadn't really hit him how much of a threat the dead were to him and his kingdom. Ygritte was scared and he was scared but neither of them would show it to anyone but each other. He couldn't help but worry.

***

  After his confrontation with his father's ward Jon left everyone well alone. The cliff where Tyrion had found him when they first came seemed a good spot. The dragons were no longer circling and the sunset over the waves was a beautiful sight.

  In the end he made his way back to his chambers. The hall was guarded by Dothraki and the occasional one of Daenerys' freed slaves wondering about. No one spoke though, the halls were silent except for the echo of his boots off of the walls. All of it left him to his thoughts even as he tried to focus on anything else.

  The door to his chambers creaked and he stepped in to see his wife there in the bath. Steam rose up around her naked shoulders, the dark red of her damp hair standing out stark against the pale skin. She looked over at his as he entered and smiled at him. It was the soft smile that she really meant, not the playful smirk.

  He went over to her then, stripping off his gloves and cloak, leaving them on the desk before kneeling behind her. The King pushed aside the wet hair and kissed her shoulder. The free woman sighed and lent back into him.

  "I don't want you to be scared. We'll sort this out together. Remember that we've died before, both of us. Yet we're here. You and me, we're survivors Ygritte. This baby... our child is half you, half me. Can you imagine how tough it's going to be?" Jon whispered against her skin, running a hand down over her until he reached her stomach just below the water.

  "Promise me you won't bend the knee Jon. The North needs you as their ruler not her. There's a reason that we don't answer to the throne. They say her father was the Mad King, crazy man. Power does that to people, not the good people, the people with good souls like you but she doesn't. You can see the power is already making her crazy," she responded, raising her arm up behind her to weave her hand into his hair.

  Jon didn't reply straight away, just kissed over her shoulder and up her neck while rubbing a gentle hand over her stomach. He felt her fingers kneading his scalp. It was all calm and slow, no lust just love and Jon knew that he would make that promise to her because he trusted her judgement.

  "I promise," he said to her and kissed her as she turned her head to meet his lips.

***

  Later that night he slowly drifted off only to be woken with the light of the moon shining on his face. Groggily he looked around for what had woken him and his gaze settled on his wife. They had fallen asleep in each other's arms but now they were on opposite sides of the bed. His soulmate was trembling, small whines escaping her lips. Through their connection he could feel her distress and fear.

  "Ygritte," he whispered, reaching out across the sheets.

  When she didn't respond he shuffled across the bed and wrapped her in his arms. He ran a gentle hand over her face and whispered her name again. This time she woke, starting awake and grabbing his arms in a death grip, her nails digging into the muscle. She turned to him with wide, fearful blue eyes.

  For a moment he studied her face until she turned and buried her face in his neck. Her breaths huffed softly over his skin and he felt his chest clench with worry. His soulmate never had nightmares, she must be so incredibly scared.

  "It's okay, I've got you, I always will and I will never let you go," he murmured into her hair.


	11. A Lot to Think About

  Jon was stood on the cliff beyond the castle lost in thought when he heard the thunderous beat of wings. He had been thinking of Ygritte who he had barely spent any time with since they had reached Dragonstone, he had been thinking about their child and he had been thinking about Daenerys. The soulmates had been talking about the alliance that they were trying to form and Ygritte had began to rant about the dragon queen so Jon had jokingly said that she had her looks at least. That had earnt him a playful punch- which didn't mean that it didn't hurt.

  Now though there was a dragon flying towards him. The beast landed with a mighty rumble and strode towards him with a roar. Jon was terrified but also entranced. The dragon was close enough to touch and suddenly that's what he wanted to do despite the snarling teeth as long as his arm barely a pace from his face.

  The king removed his glove and, with a shaking hand, reached out. As soon as his hand came close, the dragon stopped snarling and instead Jon was able to place the flat of his palm fully against the rough scales under the dragon's nose. He let out a breath he hadn't realised that he had been holding and ran the hand along the scales.

  After what seemed forever but could only have been a moment, Jon took the hand away. The dragon turned then as Daenerys stepped to the ground and flew off  with a massive gust of wind which wiped Jon's cloak around him.

  "They're beautiful aren't they?" Daenerys asked after coming to stand beside him.

  She was looking over at the dragon as he joined his brothers but she returned her gaze to him when he replied. 

  "It wasn't the word I was thinking of but..." he started before rethinking at her almost disgusted look, "but yes, they are. Gorgeous beasts."

  "They're not beasts to me," was the queen's reply as she looked back to the circling dragons,"No matter how big they get or how terrifying to everyone else, they're my children."

  Jon couldn't help the judgemental look that must have crossed his face but it didn't matter, she was still to focused on her "children". For the first time he wondered if all of the bad that had happened in her past had addled her brain. The dragons definitely weren't her children and if she thought of them as that.. Sure he loved Ghost but Ghost was a pet, his friend sure but Jon was under no delusion that his friend was anything more than a beast. Sure he was smart and loyal but he was still just a beast. He knew that Ygritte would have been even more disgusted by the statement than he is.

  It was then that they started to move back towards the castle and Jon decided that they should really move the conversation on.

  "You weren't gone long," he sated because it was true.

  "No."

  "And?" because really, why did she have to make him push?

  "And I have fewer enemies than I did yesterday," she said, continuing after seeing his saddened expression to say," you're not sure how you feel about that."

  "No, I'm not." Because he wasn't. The lack of compassion that she said it with as if the lives that she and her army had taken were nothing.

  "How many men did your army kill taking Winterfell back from the Boltons?" she asked him pointedly.

  "Thousands," he said. All of which I wish I could have prevented he thought. War was war, people died and he wasn't naive enough to even hope otherwise. It didn't mean though that he couldn't regret it and Daenerys didn't seem to at all. He couldn't bend the knee to someone like that could he? Entrust his people and his kingdom to her rule? Old gods and new his wife was getting in his head. Not necessarily and bad thing though. 

    "We both want to help people," Daenerys continued, "we can only help them from a position of strength. Sometimes strength is terrible... When you first came here Ser Davos said that you took a knife in the heart for your people."

  "Ser Davos gets carried away," Jon replied quickly with a stiff smile. He hated thinking about that, about the scars and the betrayal and the empty feeling at the thought that there was nothing after death. 

  "So it was a figure of speech?" she asked obviously oblivious.

  At that moment though, Dothraki approached. That was when he met Jorah Mormont. The man had a completely different feel to Lord Commander Mormont, he wasn't the brave and courageous man that his father was. He wasn't the leader that Jon's tutor was. He could tell all of that in the few moments that he was there; the man was an open book.

***

  He got away from Daenerys and her faithful man as soon as he could, excusing himself politely. He just wanted to find his soulmate and bury his face in her hair.

  He found her where he knew he would on the edge of a cliff far behind the castle. She was sat facing away from him, hair wiping around in the wind. She was sat cross legged, face bent over a book, fingers clasping the edges tightly to keep the pages from blowing over.

  For a moment the king just stopped and took in the sight, for a moment he could forget the problems he was facing with the dragon queen and the Night King. Daenerys had mentioned his death earlier and it had got him thinking about the place after. There had been nothing and whereas before the thought had just terrified him now, standing where he was, he just thought that it was extra incentive to enjoy the life he had.

   For all of the sorrow that Jon had lived through he had still been blessed in the end. If he hadn't have died he would still be bound to his oath as a brother of the Night's Watch after all and he would never have really been able to have the relationship he did with Ygritte. He could remember so clearly the moment that he met her, pulling back her hood with a sword to her throat. He could remember how he had been so conflicted and he remembered how he had fallen slowly in love with his wild, beautiful and free-spirited  soulmate.

  Now he stood there completely head over heals. He was a husband and, in a few months, he was going to be a father. He had a whole kingdom of people to protect, he had family to protect. 

  In that moment Jon was determined that they would find a way to survive the army of the dead, even if that meant doing it without the support of Daenerys. He thought back to the dragon that he had touched, the beast had been so big and powerful and fearsome even as Jon had run a hand over its snout. Never in a million years did he think he would see a dragon let alone touch one, they would be a great attribute in the fight against the Night King but at the end of the day they were a painfully mortal as he was.

  "Jon," Ygritte greeted him then, turning a then standing with a bright smile on her face.

  She walked towards him as he stood watching, the book clasped in her hands. Jon knew that there was a soft smile on his face but he didn't say anything, couldn't really. He wondered what it would have been like if he had come back and Ygritte had stayed dead but quickly pushed the thought away finding it almost unbearable.

  He stepped forward as she got close, running a hand over her stomach and their baby which had become a habit recently. When they were alone together and she was naked the bump was beginning to show but her clothing hid it now and the two of them were still the only ones that knew. Not even Davos knew. Ygritte thought that it was pointless to tell a maester, the free folk didn't have maesters and she sure didn't need one, her choice didn't bother Jon at all. It felt special that only they knew about their new little life.

  The King in the North glanced down at the book that his wife was reading next. It was one about the tales of his ancestors, the Starks around the time of Bran the Builder. That made him smile. Over the months since Jon had become king he had been teaching her to read so that she could help him as his queen. Ygritte was a fast learner and she loved to read now.

  Looking deep into her eyes then he simply said, "I love you." He poured all of the love that he felt into it and she knew it, her smile widening as she gripped his jerkin and pulled him forward into a kiss.

  "If I wasn't so disturbed by those Dothraki that seem to be everywhere I would have you right here Jon Snow," she said with an almost predatory grin- the kind she wore when she stole Longclaw and ran off into that cave all those years ago. 

  Jon couldn't help but laugh at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I was really trying to differentiate the attitude that I think Jon would have with Ygritte and a child on the way compared to the one he has in the show and the desperation and despair there while keeping the typical Jon Snow determination.


	12. Decisions

  Jon was stood in the war chamber of Dragonstone among too few of his own men and too many of Daenerys'. It didn't matter at that moment though because the words of the scroll in his hands made the thing so much heavier than a piece of parchment should be. He couldn't believe that his Arya was alive, the Stark that had treated him most like family, the rebellious girl who wanted to be a knight. In a way, Jon had learnt to respect women fighters from her years before he met his soulmate. And Bran was alive too but that brought darker tidings. News of the Knight King on the march.

  He was painfully aware of Ygritte at his side as he read the words, he knew that she could feel his emotions as they flitted across his mind.

  "I thought Arya was dead. I thought Bran was dead," he proclaimed to the room.

  Davos stood slightly behind him and Daenerys sat at the other end of the carved table, Tyrion at her side. 

  "I'm happy for you," Daenerys said but she didn't sound it," you don't look happy."

  "Bran saw the Night King and his army marching towards Eastwatch. If they make it past the wall..." Jon trailed off. He glanced sideways at Ygritte. He thought about their baby again with a pang of panic. If the army of the dead passed the Wall Westeros and everyone in it, born and unborn, was doomed.

  "The Wall kept them out for thousands of years, presumably," Varys said from his casual seat at the side of the table.

  "We need to go home," Jon said suddenly.

  Ygritte grasped his gloved hand under the table where only Davos would be able to see. Jon was unsure what the death like grip on his hand was meant to mean.

  "You said you don't have enough men," Daenerys stated. Oh, that was probably the reason that Ygritte was trying to cut off the circulation to his fingers.

  "We'll fight with the men we have. Unless you'll join us," Jon replied. What else was he meant to do? What else could they do?

  "And give the country to Cersei? As soon as I march out, she marches in," Daenerys stated firmly.

  Beside him Ygritte snorted and all heads in the room turned to her.

  "You have anything to say my Lady?" Daenerys asked coolly. 

  Ygritte let go of Jon's hand then and set both of hers firmly on the table in front of them. There was a nasty smile curling the edge of her lips. Jon slowly let out a breath, he wasn't going to be able to shut her up this time, he knew that look and he knew how determined his wife could get. Plus she really hated the queen.

  "In fact I do. I have several things that I want to say," Ygritte said and Jon was shocked that it almost came out polite and that the words were not spat. The king supposed that he must be rubbing off on his soulmate as much as she was rubbing off on him.

  "Well what do you have to say?" Daenerys asked and there was a dangerous glint to her eyes.

  Jon couldn't look at the Targaryen the way those eyes were boring into his wife. Instead he looked down at where Ygritte's hands were on the table, her knuckles white where she was gripping so hard.

  "Well for starters if you stay here to fight the Lion Queen then the army of the dead is gonna come marching through for you and kill every man, woman and child in Westeros. It's as Jon said; you'll be ruling over a graveyard and mark my words  _Your Grace_ ," Ygritte said with deadly calm but spitting out the last two words, "I will haunt your ass and suck every ounce of joy from your life. If you don't do that for yourself anyway that is."

  Jon clenched his jaw, glancing briefly up at Daenerys to see her chin raised and nostrils flared in ill hidden anger.

  "Well if your husband bends the knee I will know that I can trust you--" the queen started.

  "No, no," Ygritte interrupted, raising her hand up, "why in seven hells would Jon kneel to _you._ Give an entire kingdom of people over to someone that he doesn't know. Trust goes both ways. The Northerners chose Jon Snow to lead them not you. Not some Targaryen girl that's never before given a rats ass about the North."

  "And what would you know of such things? You are a wildling who happened to have the same soul mark as Jon Snow here. You are a savage who knows nothing of politics beyond what you have learnt from your husband," Daenerys replied calmly but her voice was colder than Jon had heard it yet.

  "And you are an outcast little princess with no formal education, as you say, who only reached Westrosi  shores mere months ago. So what do you know about the politics of Westeros?" Ygritte retaliated.

  The room was deathly quiet, no body spoke and it seemed that no one wanted to look at the warring queens either. That was when Jon spoke up, mind reeling as he thought desperately of something to ease the tension.

  "What if we get Cercei on our side?" Jon broke the silence.

  "And how would you ever manage that?" Tyrion asked.

  "Prove to her that the army of the dead is real and not just a wet nurse's story."

  He could feel Ygritte's eyes on him now and the anger fading to a buzz under the surface, curiosity over powering it now.  The king couldn't help the relief that washed over him, relief that he knew must have passed through for Ygritte to feel but he didn't look away from the dwarf.

  "Because of course you don't need the army but only one soldier to prove it's existence. If you can bring a wight across the Wall?" the Lannister continued.

  "Aye. The first wight I ever saw was brought into Castle Black from beyond the Wall," Jon confirmed, remembering that night clearly even as he stood in the present.

  "Bring one of these down to King's Landing and show her the truth," Tyrion nodded.

  "Anything you bring back will be useless unless Cercei grants us an audience and is somehow convinced not to murder us the moment we set foot in the capital," Varys voiced.

  "The only person she listens to is Jaime. He might listen to me," Tyrion replied after a moment.

  "And how would you get into King's Landing," Daenerys asked. She was still tense, glancing over at Ygritte every other minute. Ygritte for her part had stepped back and was leaning against a pillar with arms crossed but still tension radiated off of her.

  Jon tried to ignore that though and focus on Daenerys' question. Of course he knew exactly the man to sneak people into the capital and so did Tyrion, both of them turning to look at Davos.

  The old knight sighed, "I can smuggle you in but if the gold cloaks were to recognise you I'm warning you, I'm not a fighter."

  "Well it will all be for nothing if we don't have one of these dead men," Daenerys pointed out.

  "Fair point. How do you propose to find one?" Varys put in.

  "With the queen's permission, I'll go north and take one," Jorah Mormont spoke up for the first time, continuing directly to Daenerys as the queen turned to him, "You asked me to find a cure so I could serve you. Allow me to serve you."

  "The free folk will help us, they know the real north better than anyone," Jon said, nodding over at his soulmate.

  "They won't follow Ser Jorah," Davos pointed out.

  "They won't have to," Jon replied and he knew that Ygritte knew exactly what that meant.

  There was silence through the room for another moment and Jon could have sworn that Daenerys looked scared at his implication.

  "You can't lead a raid beyond the Wall. You're not in the Night's Watch anymore, you're the King in the North," Davos spoke up.

  "I'm the only one here who's fought them. Ygritte and I are the only ones who know them," Jon replied.

  "I haven't given you permission to leave," Daenerys said quickly.

  "With respect Your Grace, I don't need you permission. I am a king. Ygritte is a queen. We came here knowing that you could have your men behead me or behead us or your dragons burn us alive. I put my trust in you, a stranger, because I knew it was the best chance for my people, for all our people. Now I'm asking you to trust in a stranger because it's our best chance," Jon returned firmly.

  Behind him he could feel Ygritte's pride and smugness, the combined effect making it hard for Jon to keep his lips from twitching up in his own smirk.


	13. Free Woman

  Jon was down in the mines with Ygritte watching the progress of the mining of the dragonglass when Davos returned with Robert Baratheon's bastard. The kid had spirit and Jon couldn't help but like him and agree that he should come along with them to get the wight. Davos wasn't too pleased about it but Jon couldn't help but feel like he had made the right choice.

  As soon as Gendry and Davos left again Ygritte turned to him and he felt a wave of mirth wash over him from her through their connection. There was a smirk on her lips and she was leaning against the shimmering wall of the cavern, one hand stroking over her stomach.

  "What?" Jon asked, walking over to lean against the wall facing her.

  "Well don't you think that bastards have been doing well recently?" Ygritte smirked.

  "Bastards?"

  "Well there's you for one, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and now King in the North and technically head of House Stark as well. Then there was that Bolton, Ramsey. Yeah he's dead but he also ruled the North for a time. Then there's those little incest lions. Sure dead too but one was a princess and two ruled the Seven Kingdoms. Now there is this Gendry who is the last living person with Baratheon blood," Ygritte listed.

  "Well... I guess we have been doing pretty well these last few years," Jon conceded with a smile.

  "Obviously you're the most successful," Ygritte smirked again.

  "Oh, and how do you figure that?"

  "Because you're married to me of course. You have the most stunning, cunning and talented soulmate in all of Westeros," Ygritte almost whispered, shuffling forward towards him.

  Jon huffed out a laugh but put out his hands to hold his wife at arms length. He watched the way the light from the brazer played over her pale skin and slunk through her hair making it seem like living flames itself. She was gorgeous and he loved her even down to her none existent modesty.

  "Aren't you going to kiss me Jon Snow?" Ygritte asked.

  "There are a lot of workers right around us Ygritte," Jon protested but the only response he got was more mirth and a raised eyebrow.

  "Fine," Jon gave in with a mock sigh before leaning in and kissing her.

  She cupped his cheek as they kissed and didn't let go when they broke apart. Her blue eyes met his brown directly and there was determination there; she was about to make a statement. 

  "I'm coming with you to the real North Jon," she told him.

  Immediately his mood darkened. The King in the North scowled at her and pulled away sharply. How could she be so stupid as to think that he would let her go? She was pregnant with their child and they were going to one of the most dangerous places in Westeros.

  "No. How could you think that I would allow that?" Jon replied harshly.

  "Allow me," Ygritte snorted with a raised eyebrow.

  Jon could feel both of their anger and fear boiling up and wrapping around each other with the strength of their emotion and their proximity. All he knew was they were in for a big fight and he didn't want to do it here with a massive audience. Last time they had had a big fight Jon had ended up with three arrows buried in his flesh.

  "Let's find somewhere quieter," Jon suggested.

  "Good idea," she replied coolly before turning and marching further off into the tunnels of the mine. 

  He followed close behind his soulmate in silence, the same emotions swirling around them. The king knew exactly where they were going; they were going to the cave with the carvings, a silent and empty place. Jon and Daenerys both had ordered the cave remain untouched. 

  Once there Ygritte turned again abruptly. She had her arms folded across her chest. There was cold anger and defiance in her eyes, enough that Jon had to close his eyes and breath for a second.

  "Ygritte--"

  "It's as you said yesterday," Ygritte interrupted quickly, "I am a queen and I don't need anyone's permission."

  "You're  _my_  queen Ygritte! You're my queen and you are carrying our child!"

  "So what I'm pregnant Jon? Don't you remember who I am?" She asked.

  "What? What do you mean who you are?"

  "I'm a free woman Jon. If I wasn't married to you, if I wasn't your soulmate then I would be over on the north side of the Wall carrying my baby anyway. My mother carried me there, I was born there, I learnt to fight there, I lived there, I met you there. Do you really know nothing? The real North is my world Jon Snow. You can't stop me from going there," she ranted at him.

  For a long moment Jon just stood there mulling over her words. What she said was true but... well they would manage fine without her. He told her so.

  "We're soulmates Jon. We are stronger together naturally. Just because you are a man you should get to go off and leave me, your poor, weak, pregnant wife to sit at home, do needlework and worry. Well screw you Jon Snow! I am going to come with you for my own peace of mind. I'm going to go with you to have your back. Do you know how long it's been since I've been in a proper fight? Years Jon. I am a free woman and I love to fight. It's who I am and you know that," she told him with varying degrees of volume.

  Jon looked at her and then at the walls around them. Of course she was right. Of course. Ygritte was the one that taught him that women were just as strong as men in the first place. It didn't mean that he wanted to put his wife, soulmate and unborn child in danger. Then again his wife and soulmate was Ygritte, a free woman and as fiery a person as her hair and the mark around their wrists.

  He pulled off his gloves and dropped them to the floor before reaching out and grasping her hand with both of his. He pushed back her sleeve and traced his fingers lightly over her soulmark. They both shivered at the contact as the euphoric surges of whatever magic connected them washed through and over them.

  "Okay," he said to her.


	14. Conflicted

 Jon turned from the dragon queen and stepped into the water. It washed up cold around his calves but he ignored it as he and his men pulled the boat out to sea. The king didn't look back as he jumped into the boat because he didn't need to, Ygritte was there beside him and the island of Dragonstone was all that was behind him. 

  Jon would admit that he was more than a little nervous to go beyond the Wall again. He was also excited to...

  The time that he had lived among the free folk beyond the Wall was the best time of his life, nothing else that had happened before or since amounted to the same level of freedom and happiness that he had felt then. Beyond the Wall were his most treasured and most frightening moments. When he had left Ygritte behind for the Night's Watch, when he had killed the white walker and seen the Army of the Dead swarming, killing thousands of men, women and children as they went. Then there was the time in the cave with Ygritte, there was the days and of travel and the nights in fur tents where he fell a little more in love with each minute. 

  Now there Ygritte was besides him in the boat as they headed out to sea and out to the Wall. This time though there was three of them, a little family to protect. This time there was even more to fear than before. This time they were going there deliberately to find the dead. This time there was no joy in going beyond the Wall, no reason to be even remotely excited. 

***

  That night he stood on the deck of the ship, leaning against the rails and watching the waves crash around him. It was what he did most nights on the way to Dragonstone as well, found it calming. Now it was not. 

  The rough waves and the flickering stars so unbelievably high above just made him feel insignificant. How were they alone meant to stop such a huge and ancient force? Why did his soulmate have to be so stubborn as to come with him?

  Jon sighed and ducked his head, pulling his cloak further around his shoulders to ward off the bitter sea breeze.

  "Your Grace?" he heard behind him then.

  The King in the North turned to see Davos standing there watching him with his hands clasped in front of him.

  "Yes Davos?"

"So I've figured that, what with the way you and Queen Ygritte are with each other and the fact that it's just showing..." Davos trailed off. He was looking at Jon with that look he had every time there was something he wanted to say but didn't know if he should. 

  "You can say whatever it is you want to say Davos," Jon sighed, leaning back against the railing feeling the of the sway of the ship beneath him.

  "Why are you letting your queen accompany us in the state she is in?" Davos asked, looking directly at the king.

  "State," Jon said, hoping for some stupid reason that he wasn't talking about the baby growing in his soulmate's womb.

  "Her pregnancy Your Grace. I am positive you are aware," Davos replied with a respectful bowing of his head.

  "Is it that obvious?"

  "Your Grace it is my job to counsel you. Part of that is watching and thinking about how to do so. Besides, your soulmate is starting to show," Davos replied with a small smirk.

  "Well then, the reason she is here is because she is Ygritte. You know how she is by now," Jon answered Davos' previous question with a small smile.

  "Yes, she has you wrapped tight around her finger," Davos snorted.

  Jon couldn't help but laugh then because he supposed it was true. Ygritte wasn't the kind of woman to bow to the power of a man and it was one of the things that he loved about her. The king turned back to the sea then, watching the waves, Davos joining him a moment later.

  "Aren't you worried for their safety? I mean as good a fighter as your soulmate is, she's pregnant. A good way in if she's showing too. She's going to be slower and we aren't exactly going to a risk free place," Davos said.

  "Course I'm worried. It's kept me up ever since I've known. Even before this trip the white walkers were a threat to my family. Nothing I say will change her mind though, she's one of the free folk and the way she sees it she's going home Army of the Dead or not," Jon told Davos.

  The King in the North sometimes found it strange how comfortable he was to confide in the older man. He had known him only a couple of years now but it felt like a lifetime. That moment was one of those where he was struck by the absurdity of it. 

***

  By the time Jon took the steps back down below deck to his cabin with Ygritte, the woman was asleep. The furs and blankets were only just drawn up to her hips, the rest of her milky skin exposed to Jon in the flickering of the candles of the wall beside the bed. Her hand was draped protectively over the slight curve of her stomach, protective even in sleep. She slept on her side facing the door so Jon could see all of her beauty, how peaceful she was in sleep, how -impossibly- more beautiful she seemed.

  He closed the door slowly and silently so as not to wake her before walking over to crouch in front of the bed. The king smoothed a gently hand through the fiery locks of his wife's hand and allowed his hand to skate down across her skin until his fingers were hovering  a hairbreadth over the blue soul mark on her wrist. Jon pulled away last second though, touching it would surely wake her.

  Instead, he retreated right back until he was sat on one of the two rough wooden chairs in the cabin. Davos was right, he himself was right, he should be worried for Ygritte and the baby. Jon rubbed a hand over his face aggressively, pulling it right through his hair until he reached the tie, pulling it out and letting all of hair fall free around his face. He didn't know if he could do this. He didn't know if he could watch Ygritte go beyond the Wall knowing all that he did about what was out there. He wasn't even sure that he himself was going to come back alive. Jon knew then as he watched her that he had to find a way to stop her- even if he had to lock her away in one of the cells at East Watch.


	15. East Watch

  They reached the shores outside of East Watch, stepping out into the shallows. It was bitter cold just like Ygritte remembered the real North to be. She didn't realise how much she'd missed the snow, it wasn't even heavy snow here just a sprinkling but it was enough. The thought of passing the Wall into her home country both terrified and excited her but the real reason she wanted to go was because her soulmate was going. If she was there there was a chance that she could protect him if anything went wrong.

  The free woman looked over at her husband then as he strode along beside her. Jon Snow cast her a sideways glance and she could feel him trying to hide through their bond. It was something that he did sometimes when he didn't want he to know what he was feeling, usually when he was very scared. Just a stupid macho Northerner think she supposed. She didn't say anything though or tease him like she usually did, this time she knew that he would be terrified.

  Instead, the group continued on towards the Wall and the castle. She looked up at the Wall, the hundreds upon hundreds of feet of packed ice and stone, it still stirred awe in her every time she lay eyes on it.

  Tormund was there at the gate to greet them and she eagerly came forward to greet her old friend, punching his arm before letting herself be enveloped in a bear hug. Jon got the same treatment from the big man before they continued into the courtyard before the castle.

  Ygritte thought it was strange to see the the place run by her own people. Castle Black always had the grim faced, black clad crows. Here men and woman in various furs roamed, many more free folk than there was crows.

***

  They were sat at a table in a dimly lit room eating a meal. Tormund was sat at the head of the table with Jon and Ygritte on either side, the rest of the group with them.

  "Isn't it your job to talk him out of stupid fucking ideas like this?" the bear like man asked Davos. "I mean, I don't expect any less from her and she's a bad influence on him but you. Well you it's your job," he continued, pointing a thumb sideways at Ygritte.

  "I've been failing that job of late," Davos confessed.

   Both Jon and Ygritte smirked at Davos but neither said anything. Ygritte felt a bit of pride at the thought that she had influenced her soulmate into become more... rebellious. He had been so by the books when they had first met. Now she was making him more wild.

  "How many queens are there now?" Tormund asked then.

  "Three including Ygritte here," Jon replied.

  "And you need to convince the one with the dragons or the one who fucks her brother?"

 It was Gendry's turn to snort then and Ygritte couldn't help the smirk at that comment. She wasn't particularly fond of either bitch.

  "Both," was Jon's answer and Ygritte shook her head at that. The dragon queen was though close minded! She was a self proclaimed mother of dragons. She had three dragons! Why was the thought of an army of wights so unbelievable when dragons were meant to be extinct?

  "How many men did you bring?" Tormund asked her soulmate.

  "Not enough." 

  "The big woman?" Tormund questioned.

  "You have no chance with that one! Give up now," Ygritte laughed, Jon chuckling along with her.

  They agreed on bringing some of the free folk and leaving Davos behind. Ygritte could feel Tormund's disapproval and she couldn't help the subconscious hand that rubbed over her baby bump.   That was when Tormund mentioned the others.

***

  Down in the cells the boys had a spitting match with the raggedy bunch locked in the cell there. One of their group seemed to know someone in the cage. Ygritte recognised none, just stood back and watched the arguments unfold. There was a big man with horrific looking burns, another particularly scruffy one with an eye patch and a third with a calm voice.

  Eventually they came to an agreement, Jon said rightly that they were all on the same side because they were all breathing. Anyhow, the extra men could only help.

  Jon took the keys from Tormund and let the men out. They trailed past and everyone but Jon and Davos made their way back towards the stairs. When she noticed this she stopped and looked back, curious. Jon was hiding from her again.

  "You okay?" She asked, stepping towards him.

  Jon looked at Davos briefly before smiling at her, "I'm fine."

  He leaned forward and kissed her before he pulled her round and pushed her back. Ygritte stumbled back off balance and confused. Before another moment passed there was the harsh clang of the cell door closing and the jingle of keys in the lock.

  Furious, Ygritte glared at her husband through the bars.

  "What in seven hells do you think you are doing?" she growled.

  "Protecting you Ygritte. Protecting you both because I love you, "Jon said, wrapping his hand around the bars.

  Ygritte stepped forward and grabbed his hands. She was shaking with rage and her nails dig into the flesh of his fingers making the king wince slightly.

  "Do you remember what happened last time you betrayed me Jon Snow?" she said, surprising even herself with how even her voice was.

  "I do but things have changed since then. Ygritte, you are putting yourself and are baby at risk. I am taking away your chance to do that. You will be safe here," Jon tried to reason.

  She knew the risks but he was forgetting who she was. He had no right to go into her homeland but stop her from doing the same. She was perfectly capable of protecting herself and they both knew it!

  "I will never forgive you for this," she spat.

  "Well I hope that's not true," Jon returned, pulling his hands away and taking a step back.

  She could feel him now, he was sad and scared. The free woman knew though that he wasn't scared because of the mission he was about to go on but because he was afraid her threat was true. It softened her slightly but then she felt angry again, angry that he made him feel like that. Just like he did, she closed herself off and stepped away from the bars, turning and facing the wall before sitting down on the bench there.

  "Ygritte, please believe that I am doing this for you," Jon seemed to be begging. It didn't suit him but she didn't reply.

  She heard Davos walk away but Jon stayed for a while longer, not saying anything just standing there. Ygritte didn't turn though and eventually she heard his retreating footsteps too.


	16. The Cell

  It was cold down in the cell, a different cold to the North, a darker more nasty kind of cold. Ygritte sat there at the back of the cell and tried so hard not to feel sorry for herself. She sat there with her knees drawn up to her chest, arms curled around her legs and her back pressed against the cold stone of the rear wall. No, she wasn't going to feel sorry for herself she was going to hate Jon Snow.

  There was only one problem with that though and that was that no matter how hard she tried she could not hate Jon. Even when their bond was still new, before they had died and the bond had strengthened, when Jon left her it had almost killed her to try and persuade herself to hate him enough to shoot him. When she had shot him she had felt it physically and emotionally from his end.

  Now he had left her again but this time it was different. This time he had left because he loved her too much, not because he didn't love her enough. Last time he chose the Night's Watch over her- and she still wasn't to sure whether she forgave him for that- but this time he had left her here to protect her.

  No, really the person that she was angry at was herself. He had tricked her, it had been all too easy for him to get her in this stupid cell. She was a free woman and she had been so easily outsmarted by a high born southerner. Ygritte supposes that all the castles and regular food and servants and all of the rest of the fancy lord shit has made her soft. Stupid and soft. What the hell was her baby going to be like if she was this soft already. The poor thing was going to grow up to be a fat, slow lordling or lady.

  Seven hells! 

  No Ygritte would not let that happen. Son or daughter Ygritte would train the child and teach them to survive the wilds as best she could south of the Wall. Jon would not be able to get in the way of that, he wouldn't be able to lock her away over that.

  She was broken from her thoughts then but the sound of footsteps down the steps. Curious, she pushed herself up from the floor but didn't bother to brush the straw or dirt off of her furs. Instead she just made her way up to the bars, wrapping one hand around the cold iron and leaning against it.

  The person came into view and it turned out to be Davos. She gritted her teeth at the sight of the grey haired man; he was in on this, she knew that just from the way that he and Jon had looked at each other before Jon had locked her up.

  "Your Grace-" Davos started.

  "Don't "Your Grace" me knight. Do I look like a sodding queen to you!" Ygritte snapped.

  "Sorry... Ygritte. I just came wondering if you'd like to be let out," he said calmly, hands clasped in front of him.

  "Cause I would. I'm not some naughty child to be punished," Ygritte growled.

  "Trust me, both I and your husband understand that completely. You're in here to protect both you and that baby m'lady," Davos replied equally calmly.

  "So you know about that then."

  "Sure. Not that Jon told me, just figured it. Others that have probably figured it to but I wouldn't know for sure," Davos told her.

  "Not a big deal but if you know then why are you keeping a pregnant woman in a cold dark cell?" Ygritte asked, leaning in closer.

  Davos' mouth twitched up in a smile at her words," we both know that this cold is really not bothering you. You're a warrior and a free woman Ygritte, I'm no fool and you can't play that card on me."

  "Fine but will you let me out anyway?"

  "As long as you don't try to leave the castle," Davos told her.

  "What and go after Jon Snow? Now you are the one thinkin' that I am the fool," Ygritte sneered.

   Davos just bowed his head to that and moved forward, pulling out keys and unlocking the gate. Ygritte moved through slowly and watched as the old knight closed the cell door again with an echoing clank. As he turned back to face her though, she pulled back her fist and punched him in the jaw.

  The knight stumbled back with an indignant cry. He looked up at her, clutching the side of his face.

  "I'm guessing that was for the cell thing," he grunted.

  "Oh trust me Jon Snow's getting worse than a punch in the face," Ygritte growled and she meant it.

  For a long moment Davos just looked at her as if trying to work out if she was serious or not. Eventually he just straightened up and gestured for her to move up the stairs. That's what she did.

  As soon as she was back in the light of day, in the snow, she felt better, she felt calmer- she had been down in the cell for a day at least. She was still mad at Jon and would be until she saw him again and the stupid bond and her stupid love for him made her forgive him. She was going to make him pay though, wasn't too sure as of how at that moment but he was going to pay. Some sort of superficial wound that would leave a scar maybe. Maybe just a series of punches.

  "Deep in thought I see," Davos said, coming up besides her and bouncing on the balls of his feet.

  "Mmm. How to make Jon suffer," she said.

    The knight gave her a concerned side ways glance  but she paid him no mind. It was at that moment that her attention was drawn towards the north-facing gate leading to the tunnels that went through the Wall. The free woman strode over to see why there were people gathering, pushing her way through to see the bastard boy of the old stag king. He was bent over and out of breath.

  If he was here then that didn't bode well. Jon was in trouble and the stubborn king had locked her away so she wasn't there to help him. If he came back alive she was going to give him more than just one scar to live with.


	17. Dragons

  Dragons flew fast, that much was obvious with the short length of time that it took for them to appear over the castle. Their roars could be heard well before they came into sight. They all stepped outside the castle gates as the biggest dragon landed heavily in the snow before them. 

  Ygritte didn't know how to feel about the beast, she had never been this close to one and the teeth sure were big. She stayed where she was though, refused to even flinch. The dragon queen stepped down and just the sight of her made Ygritte's blood boil as she knew that she needed the bitches help.

  "Where are they?" the Targaryen asked striding forward.

  "Beyond the Wall somewhere. Hard to tell really," Ygritte snapped, earning her a glare.

  The queen turned then and headed back towards the dragon, that was when Ygritte decided that she was going to. Screw the fact that that meant being in close contact with the white haired cow, she was going to get her stubborn as husband out of the rut he had got himself stuck in. 

  "Well I'm coming with then," Ygritte called out, making after her before Davos grabbed her arm.

  "Fuck off or I will cut the rest of your fingers off," she growled, Davos quickly let go.

  Daenerys was staring at her but as soon as Ygritte drew level she turned again without a word. Ygritte watched the dragon anxiously as they drew closer but Daenerys just climbed up the scaly leg before reaching a hand down for her. Gritting her teeth, Ygritte grabbed the proffered and pulled herself up.

  Briefly she wondered why the queen hadn't questioned her or argued but then she remembered that she was on the back of a dragon and suddenly it didn't seem so important. Instead she just sat there stiffly and gripped the hard scales in front of her. 

  Suddenly the beast pushed off, the great wings either side of her pushing down and taking them up. The free woman just hoped that they found the party quickly because she'd already decided that she didn't like flying one bit.

***

  They saw the swarms of the Army of the Dead from high in the air where it was colder than ever. The dragons swooped in and Ygritte gripped the scales in her hands tighter until her knuckles where white and gritted her teeth. The queen in front of her uttered something in a strange language and all three dragons breathed out great roaring breaths of fire.

   The flames carved through the hordes of un-dead soldiers, great plumes of water splashing up into the air as the flames melted through the ice.

  Desperately, she craned her head around trying to look for her soulmate amid the chaos. Finally she spotted him amoungst the rest of the pitifully small group of living and felt a wave of relief wash through her. The free woman knew that he wasn't dead, she could feel Jon's jolting fear- potent through their bond- but he was all in one piece from what she could see.

  Eventually, the dragon the two women were on came around and landed. Daenerys reached down a hand for Jon who reached back up. Ygritte felt a stab of anger at the queen's bold move but their hands never met as Jon spun around to fight off dead men that charged at them.

  While the King in the North cut through dead men with Valyrian steel, the other climbed up onto the dragon. Ygritte itched to climb down and join him as more and more wights swarmed between Jon and the dragon.

  Daenerys' old knight climbed up then and called out to her soulmate but Jon could do nothing but keep fighting. That was when the dragon fell.

  One minute the two other dragons were flying around, destroying the army and then a blood curdling scream rang out. First fire and the blood, gallons of blood, streamed out from the dragon's side as it plummeted towards the ice. Everyone watched in silent horror as the beast crashed into the ice, sinking slowly into the freezing depths. 

  "Go! Go now! Leave!" Jon yelled at them as the moment passed.

  Daenerys turned to him desperately and Ygritte caught the look sourly. Then she was turning away and the dragon was about to take of.

  "Screw this," she growled and jumped, sliding down over the scales.

  She pulled a dragonglass arrow out of her quiver and shot it through the head of the wight nearest to her husband. Jon spun around and stared in terror at her as she stepped the dragon with all of their allies on. A moment later though a group of dead swarmed against Jon, knocking him down and through the ice.

  "Jon!" she yelled, running over and kneeling over the hole where her soulmate had disappeared.

  Wildly, she looked over at the dragon queen to see her looking at the hole with wide, scared eyes. Then she turned to Ygritte, she didn't say a word just gestured for her to leave but that was never going to happen. Shaking her head, Ygritte turned back to the water, watching its depths. A moment later she heard the dragon take off and felt the cold wave air from the wings batter at her back.

  Growling in frustration she hovered her hand just above the surface of the water. She couldn't swim, if she went in she couldn't save Jon. He was alive, she could feel his pain, the crushing weight on his chest and she found herself unable to breath. The next second though the water was washing about violently and a hand emerged. Jon's hand.

  Ygritte grabbed her soulmates hand and pulled with all her might, as he emerged he scrabbled at the ice. As soon as he was completely on land he collapsed against her. Ygritte held him up as she felt his fists clench the back of her furs. The king was shaking and shivering in her grip, his breath rattling from his lungs.

  "Why did you come? Why did you stay? Now we're all going to die," Jon said to her, pushing himself up onto his feet.

  His eyes darted around nervously as the wights moved around them. In that moment they seemed uninterested in the pair, the next moment was different.

  "What's the point in being alive if you're not?" Ygritte asked as she turned away from him and knocked another dragonglass arrow, "you've lived after I died before Jon, you know how that feels, you've told me how lost you were. Empty. Call me a coward but I can't do that."

  A wight charged then, Ygritte quickly released the arrow and shot the thing through the creepy blue eye. She looked briefly back at Jon to see him weakly raising his sword and couldn't help the grimace that twisted her mouth. They really were going to die there. There was no way that they were going to survive.

  Then the rider saved them with his fire ball on a chain, gave up his horse and let himself be overwhelmed by the wights as they rode away. Uncle Benjen Jon had called him.

***

They were on the ship, Jon was unconscious, a couple of his men stripping him to the waist. Ygritte was sat in the corner and Daenerys was stood in the doorway watching. As the men left the free woman could see the way the dragon queen's eyes were drawn to the scars that littered Jon's body from his murder. She believed what Davos had said about Jon giving his life, of that she was sure.

  Neither spoke though, both just waited and watched.

***

  Jon woke groggily after many hours. Ygritte had been staring off into space, still sat in the corner. However, when he awoke she knew, felt the whirr of his consciousness.  

  He looked over at her and she smiled softly at him. She was still mad and she was still thinking about how to get her revenge for the whole cell situation but with Jon so weak she was just mainly worried. So instead of going over and breaking his nose she sat on the bed beside him and stroked a hand down over his head- although not through the king's long, wavy hair; it was way to tangled for that.

  Jon smiled back and Ygritte couldn't help but lean down to place a gentle kiss against his still blue tinged lips. 

  "I still haven't forgiven you," she told him which made him chuckle before the smile left his face and he looked at her in consideration. 

  "What Daenerys did Ygritte... I think I should bend the knee. She sacrificed a dragon for us after all. She is a good queen," Jon said, his voice hoarse.

  "You are ill Jon," Ygritte half sneered, disbelieving, "I can tell because you are talking like a crazy person."

  "Ygritte-"

  "The people chose you and not some Targaryen. Do you really trust her that much? Trust her to be in charge of the safety of all of  _your_  people?"

  "No," Jon whispered, looking away from her.

 Ygritte sat back relieved. She ran a hand along her soulmate's chest, over the deep scars. They could have been called ugly but she didn't think so, they were part of her husband and part of his story. She had her own ugly puckered scars, one on her back and one over her heart where the arrow had torn right through her.

  They sat like that for a long time, just watching each other. Jon was smoothing a hand over her cheek, tucking her hair behind her ear while her fingers traced every muscle and ridge of his torso. Eventually the little bubble was burst though by a tentative cough, both Ygritte and Jon looked around to see Daenerys standing there.

  Ygritte looked down at her husband once before moving back off of the bed to the chair in the corner- the queen moving around the room to sit on the bed instead. Ygritte had to hand it to her, what she had done was brave and Ygritte was more than grateful but she couldn't help the pang of jealousy she felt at the woman took Jon's hand in her own.

  "I'm sorry. I wish I could take it back. I wish we'd never gone," Jon said to her and Ygritte was struck by the genuine care and sorrow she saw in his eyes.

  The dragon queen shook her head though and Ygritte was curious to hear her next words. 

  "I don't," Daenerys said, "If we hadn't gone I wouldn't have seen. You have to see it to know. Now I know. The dragons are my children, they're the only children I will ever have. Do you understand? We are going to destroy the Night King and his army. We will do it together, you have my word."

  Daenerys looked up at Ygritte then who just nodded to her. She had been expecting that or rather hoping it. After all, she would really have been just a monster and or idiot (maybe- probably- both) to have seen the Army of the Dead and just left the North to its fate.  

  The silver haired queen stood, looking back briefly at Jon with a "get well" before disappearing again. Her soulmate turned back to face her and smiled, great relief was flowing into her from his through their bond. With the dragons and the massive army of savages that Daenerys had they stood more of a chance against the dead. More of a chance to live and see the baby in Ygritte's womb actually grow.


	18. On Our Wat

  They were on their way to King's Landing in the ship and Ygritte had to say that she was looking forward to it. She had never been to a city before and Jon said that there was about as many people living in that one are as their was living in the entire North. The free woman couldn't honestly comprehend so many people in such a small space and so she was more than slightly curious to go and see how it all worked.

  While Jon was in bed they had talked about the trip, the King in the North had never been either. They also talked about Winterfell. Ygritte was keen to return because she liked the castle and the cold, she missed the snow when they were staying on Dragonstone and she knew King's Landing wouldn't have snow either. Jon however wanted to go back to see his siblings. Ygritte knew that he had been itching to return ever since he got the letter telling him that Bran and Arya were alive, in fact it had become a deep ache in his chest. She knew this because she could feel it, she could also feel him trying to block it from her but it was so insistent that he often failed to do so.

  Jon had taken a few days to get fully better and in that time Ygritte decided to let the whole cell thing slip. It was so by the time he was well again and easily moving about through the ship Ygritte know he thought it was forgotten about. He was wrong.

  In that moment they were in their cabin. The room was lit by candles which gave Jon's skin a golden glow as she pulled his tunic over his head. Her husband's hair was ruffed where she had run her hands through it and his lips were swollen from kissing. Ygritte knew she was lucky, her soulmate was both beautiful on the inside and out. Now though... now he just needed to learn that he couldn't simply lock her up.

  She was kissing down his neck, running a tongue over a stubbled jaw and thoroughly enjoying herself because he really was gorgeous. He was enjoying himself to it appeared, she felt his arousal both through their bond and also physically pressed against her leg. It made her smile as she pressed one last kiss to his collarbone before pulling back. She pulled back and saw the lust on his face, smiling she ran a hand down his cheek before she brought a knee up hard into his crotch.

  Jon cried out and she felt a flash of pain through the bond. He pulled away sharply and looked up at her with watering eyes.

  "What in Seven Hells was that for Ygritte?" he wheezed.

  "You know what that was for Jon Snow," she growled, wrapping a hand in his long hair and pulling his head back.

  "I had to lock you up to keep you and the baby safe Ygritte," Jon said, straightening up slightly while still clutching at his groin.

  "If you ever try something like that again I won't just bruise it I will cut it off," Ygritte growled before letting go, turning and marching out, slamming the door behind her.

***

  Ygritte decided that she didn't like King's Landing. In fact she was pretty sure she hated it. Firstly, it was way to hot. It also smelt really bad but then she supposed it made sense if you crammed the entire population of a kingdom into one small space. The people all lived on top of each other, literally. Their houses were all stacked up and the streets were crowded with people.

  The dragon place was nice though. She couldn't remember what they had called it- she hadn't been listening, but she liked it. The structure, now crumbling, was arty and interesting to look at. She could look at it for hours and not be able to spot everything it had to offer.

  She didn't however like the Lannister queen. As in at all. Cercei Lannister was an even bigger bitch than Daenerys Targaryen. Her face was twisted in what seemed to be a constant snarl, it made her look nasty and ugly even though without it she would probably be one of the most beautiful women that Ygritte had ever seen. The free woman was proud of Jon and how he handled it, she felt his calm and it was genuine. All of the nerves that he had felt before hand had disappeared.

  Ever since she had kneed him in the balls the king had been careful around her. It was rather funny considering he had been hadn't been after she had shot him full of arrows. Then again it seemed that a dick seemed to be a man's most prized possession more often than not. 

  In the end, Cercei decided to help them. Well she said that anyway but Ygritte didn't believe her. The other woman made her skin crawl.

***

  All in all, leaving King's Landing was a relief. They returned to their ship with the queen's supposed support and their was relief washing off of Jon.

  That night the sea was calm and the ship was steady enough that you could be forgiven for forgetting that you were anywhere but dry land. Jon was lying in bed half asleep with the furs half covering his naked torso when she entered the room. Ygritte had been standing on deck watching the waves under the moonlight and the stars in the sky. It had been really calming and the free woman had found that she really wanted to just wrap herself up in Jon.

  They had spoken to each other but not actually touched since the kneeing incident. They hadn't kissed, cuddled, had sex. They had slept on opposite sides of the bed. Now though she deemed that Jon had had enough for his lesson- it had nothing to do with the fact that she was craving his touch also.

  So when she entered the room, she stripped down and slipped under the covers, placing her body over Jon's. The man underneath her opened his eyes, he smiled up at her- genuine and happy, relieved even. She lent down and kissed him, his hands travelling over her swollen belly. That night they didn't fuck so much as made love.


End file.
